Loose Ends
by bricksailor93
Summary: Azula is lost in her loneliness, haunted by the voices of her failures. While her brother searches frantically to help her, she meets a stranger that offers her hope. Will he help her remember the strong woman that she is? Or will she give into darkness?
1. Chapter 1

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part One:

With a bow, Dr. Lin greeted the new Firelord as he arrived at the Firenation Hospital. The Firelord bowed in return, and the two men walked side by side down the hall. Zuko paid a visit to this hospital every week, despite the fact that it was time-consuming to make the trip and he usually left feeling worse for the wear. As he walked now, he glanced at the patients along the hallway and the nurses treating them. There were many here from the aftermath of the war. Some were healing, scars becoming less noticeable everyday. Others were slowly getting worse, the war having drained them of their last strength.

Zuko wished that his sister was in the first category of patients, but his hopes were in vain. Dr. Lin usually met him in the visitor's room, unless something was wrong with Azula, then he met him on his way in. Today he had met him at the door. Judging by the doctor's expression, it was not a good omen.

"She's getting worse," the young Firelord said, knowing that his statement was correct.

Dr. Lin sighed and shook his head.

"Your sister is troubled. _Very _troubled. She hardly sleeps. She hardly speaks. Lately, she has regressed to her starvation habits again. The way things are right now, her chances of recovery look slim," the doctor told him with a grim voice.

It was Zuko's turn to sigh. Every week he had come Azula had stayed the same. He had wished her state would change every time he had seen her. Well, now it had, but it wasn't the change he had been hoping for.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked, doubtful that there was anything he could do that he hadn't already done.

The doctor shrugged.

"Firelord Zuko, you have done more than anyone else by not giving up hope on your sister. You are the only visitor that returns time after time to see her. Besides that, I don't know what more you can do," he said.

It was what Zuko had expected to hear. Since their fight, which ended in Azula's loss of sanity, he had felt a constant guilt for his sister's broken state. Though he knew it was what had to be done, he could not bear seeing Azula waste away in her insanity because of him. Since then, he had placed her in the best hospital available and visited her every week, hoping for her recovery.

That recovery was in doubt now. Zuko shook his head and sighed again. If only she had any hope for herself.

"Well, I suppose I should go see her," he said, "Though I doubt she'll be pleased."

Dr. Lin smiled grimly and nodded.

"Right this way, sir," he said, leading the way down the hospital corridor.

Azula sat in her corner, cut off from every one else. She hated this place. It reeked of the sick and of soap from the constant cleaning of everything. The doctors and nurses treated her like a child, despite the fact she was Princess of the Firenation. This place was a prison to her, the worst kind of prison there was.

"Princess Azula," somebody said, "You have a visitor."

Azula scowled and turned and glared at the nurse. The poor nurse smiled nervously and hurried away. They were scared of her, like they should be. She was Azula, pride of the Firenation and a firebending prodigy. All should fear her.

But that all changed.

She had lost.

She was beaten.

She wasn't feared anymore.

She was nothing.

And it was all because of Zuko, her pathetic brother who stole her place as Firelord. Nothing could make her angrier than seeing her brother's face. It only angered her more knowing that she would see him every week. And apparently, today was visiting day.

Had it been a week already since his last visit? She couldn't recall. Time didn't matter in a place where you just existed. And Azula's existence was the worst of them all.

"Azula."

She looked up and scowled. There he was, her little, untalented brother. An angry red scar spread over his left eye to his ear, his hair down and his clothes simple. For some reason, he thought if he dressed simply, it wouldn't emphasize the fact that he was Firelord and she wasn't. After fixing him with a glare of pure venom, she turned her face away.

_I won't speak to you. Go away._

Zuko sat down across from her with a sigh. Every second she was near him, the more she was reminded of her failure. How could she fail against this? A scarred, pathetic prince, exiled from his kingdom and not proficient in his firebending abilities. She was the shining jewel of the firenation. A prodigy, a legend, a symbol of strength and skill. She was her father's favorite. Failure was unknown to her. Until now, that was.

And it was all his fault. She hated him. Hate wasn't even a strong enough word to describe what she felt for him. It was her greatest desire to burn him to a crisp, or at least give him a scar on his right eye to match the one on his left. But she couldn't, and she wouldn't let him know. No, if he knew… Oh, she would never hear the end of it.

"The doctors tell me you're not eating again," Zuko said.

She met his gaze with searing gold eyes. If looks could kill, or maybe burn…

_Oh, I see what this is_, she thought, clenching her fist and gritting her teeth, _You think you can tell me what to do. You think you can just snap your fingers and I'll be at your beck and call. You will not! You will never rule me!_

"Ty Lee came by last week," he continued, trying to ignore her venomous gaze, "She said you treated her to a less than friendly welcome."

The traitor circus freak. She thought that she could come by, act all bubbly and nice, and earn her friendship again. She told Azula she didn't regret what she had done to her to save Mai; Azula didn't regret trying to scratch her eyes out.

"Azula, please speak to me," Zuko sighed.

_I will not._

"Mai wants to visit you, but she's afraid you'll burn her to a crisp. You know, your quarrel with her should be with me," he said.

_I love Zuko more than I fear you._

The words still rang in her mind. The traitor's last words to her haunted her and drove her wild. Had she really been without friends? Had they really just gone with her because they feared pain and death if they didn't? Of course they did. She was a monster. Monsters didn't have friends.

"Uncle talks about you a lot," Zuko went on with a sigh, "He misses you, you know."

That was a lie if she had ever heard one. Iroh thought her a scheming, black-hearted princess, nothing more. He was right, of course. He only cared for the boy in front of her. If it hadn't been for Iroh, Zuko would have been crushed long before. She hadn't needed anyone, proving her stronger than her brother once more. Then why was she here, and he wore the crown?

"Quite honestly, I sort of miss you, too, Azula," he said, smiling sadly, "It's not the same without you challenging me all the time."

Azula snarled and turned her fierce gaze away.

_I don't care_.

"Please, Azula! Talk to me!" he pleaded, "I'm your family! Your brother!"

_I don't care._

"It hurts me to see you like this," he said, placing a hand on hers, "You're my sister!"

With a hiss, Azula snatched back her hand, still not meeting his gaze. He would not touch her, ever.

_I don't care._

"You're my family, and I love you, though we have some problems," he said, "Don't you care about that? Don't you love your own brother?"

_I don't care._

"Please, Azula!"

"I DON'T CARE!" she roared, over-turning her chair as she stood up. A menacing, and twisted creature she was. She saw Zuko flinch when she jumped up, making her smile manically.

_He fears me still. I have power! There's power in fear! I have power! Power! _

But then out of the corner of her eye, she saw doctors and nurses move towards her, surrounding her. Her eyes darted side to side. If she ran, she could put up a fight, and maybe take a few of them out. She could blast them and… then she remembered. With a ferocious growl, sounding more like a wounded animal than a teenage girl, she whirled around, watching them like a cornered rat.

"Don't come near me!" she screeched, "Don't touch me! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"

They didn't listen to her. They kept moving forward, tightening the circle surrounding her. Breathing raggedly, she tried to take a fighting stance, but it was a weak one. Not eating for days had left her pale and weak. She would fight, though, even if it killed her.

Suddenly, Zuko stood up and waved his hand.

"Leave her be," he said, calmly but firmly, "She's my sister; I can handle her."

Slowly they returned to their duties, leaving the crazy princess to glare at her Firelord brother once more.

"Why didn't you kill me?" she cried, "That would have been the kind thing to do! Death would have been better than living like this!" She tore at her straggly hair. Azula had not touched her hair since the fight, leaving it hang in matted, unevenly cut, dirty strands. Her fingers became tangled in the knotted locks, and she let out an agonizing shriek of frustration.

A laugh. A blood-chilling laugh rang in her ears. Azula's eyes widened in fear. They were coming. They were coming, the voices. The ones that laughed at her at night. They ones that whispered a reminder of her failure in her ear with cold, wicked voices. The ones that she had been haunted by ever since the fight. They were coming.

The only way they left was when her mother told them to go away. Azula loathed seeing her mother. The woman would come and rid her of the voices and then tell her that she loved her. Azula didn't want love. She wanted to die.

Zuko was saying something to her.

"…I could not kill my own sister," he said, "I have hope for you, Azula."

Hope. She was absolutely sick of that word. Everyone had it, especially the peasant from the Water Tribe. Stupid girl. Stupid, stupid, stupid... Hope was stupid. It made her sick. It wasn't real. It was nonsense. She had hoped to be Firelord. Look where she was now.  
Azula rocked back and forth on her heals nervously as she felt the voices coming closer, their laughs growing louder. Her hair fell into her face. She pushed it away, but it fell right back. It was too short from when she had cut it, and it wouldn't reach behind her ears.

_Like a child, cutting your hair like that. It's a good thing Prince Zuko became Firelord. A child can't be Firelord. A baby, an infant. That's what you are, failure._

Azula shook in terror as she heard their cold voices. Trying to appear brave, she clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.

"I am not a child," she protested out loud, "I'm Princess of the Firenation."

Zuko said something, but she couldn't hear him. He was just a muffled voice in the background.

_But not Firelord. Just _Princess_ Azula, not _Firelord_ Azula. Anyone can be a Princess, even a disappointment like you._  
She scowled and bared her teeth.

"Stop!" she cried fiercely, "I order you to stop!"

"Stop what, Azula?" her brother asked, looking very confused. She ignored him. He was the least of her worries now.

_Crazy, crazy, crazy… The once proud Firenation prodigy has been reduced to a hopeless, raving lunatic that cries in her sleep._

"I'm not crazy!" she screeched, "I am not! I am not!"

Azula clapped her hands over her ears and shut her eyes tightly, but it was no use. They weren't on the outside of her; they were on the inside. They were in her mind, like parasites living off of her and poisoning her.

_Oh, but you are. Cry little Azula. Cry for Mommy. You know she'll always come. You're like her now. An outcast. Like mother, like daughter, as they say._

"No…"

_Yes. Only a mother could love a monster like you. But that doesn't bother you, does it? You are incapable of love. You have no friends. Just your poor wretched self. A dismal let-down in the Firenation's greatest hospital. You will never leave here. You will never be healed. Never, never, never. Your failure is your illness, and you cannot undo the past. You will never leave this place._

A blood-chilling scream escaped Azula's lips. She fell to the floor, wailing like a madman. Tears cascaded down her face, leaking from her shut eyes. Why, oh why wouldn't death take her? She had stopped eating to speed up the process. Only dying would bring an end to this ceaseless torture. Azula had to make these voices stop.

"NO! NO! NO!" she yelled, "Make them stop!"

Vaguely, she felt Zuko beside her, gripping her arm.

"Azula!" he was saying, "Azula, please stop!"

Azula screamed in response, rocking back and forth in agony. The pain, the endless pain was overbearing. She couldn't do this! She couldn't withstand this torture!

"Make them be quiet!" she screeched, sounding like a wounded animal writhing in pain.

Where was her mother? She always came when they pained her this much! She was the only thing that could make them go away! Azula hated seeing her, but she hated these voices more.

"Mother!" she sobbed, "Mother, where are you?"

_Ah, but your mother is gone. You've chased her away. She isn't at your beck and call anymore, little Azula. In fact, your mommy was never here. She was never real. It was just your mind falling deeper into madness. You are insane. _

"I am not!" she screeched, "Mother!"

"Azula, open your eyes!" Zuko's voice called to her in the distance. He was far, far away from her. She was alone with herself and her tormentors. Azula was lost.

_Lost, little Azula? Of course you are. You won't even look your brother in the eye. He used to be the lesser one. He's traded roles with you now._

"No!" she screamed.

Suddenly, she became aware that someone was holding her, keeping her from moving. Probably one of her nurse jailers. She thrashed, kicked, and punched. Her fist hit the floor with a sickening crack, and pain flared up her arm.

"No, Azula, you'll hurt yourself!" her brother's voice said distantly.

The arms wrapped around her held her tighter, holding her completely still.

A strangled cry of suffering escaped Azula's chapped and cracked lips. The pain was too much. She wanted to die.

"Kill me! Kill me!" she sobbed as she struggled against the arms, "Make them go away! Mother! I need you!"

But death did not come, and Azula continued to thrash against the arms while she screeched in wretched misery.

_How miserable a creature, crying out to someone who isn't there. You've already broken yourself today. You need time to wash yourself raw with your wracking tears. Wash yourself with the tears of failure that will never cease to come. Until later, little Azula…_

"Be gone from me!" she shouted hoarsely. She wept in ugly, wracking sobs. The arms held her tighter still. She could feel them now. As she returned from the terrorizing darkness, she began to perceive the world again. With a cry of defeat, she stopped thrashing in self-defeat. She had returned to this world. The ugly, unforgiving world.

"Azula, please look at me," Zuko's voice said softly. It was close, very close. It was speaking in her ear. With horror, she realized it was his arms that were holding her. She hated him, and hated herself for allowing herself to go so far to letting him restrain her.

She shook her head. Still resolved not to speak to him, she bit her lip, holding back a new wave of tears.

He sighed.

"You're alright. Nothing will hurt you," he said.

That was a lie. She had been hurt everyday. The pain was so familiar to her now that she had almost learned to block it out. Almost. But then it always stabbed her in a wave of burning ferocity that caught her completely off-guard. Azula was hurting every second that she lived.

"Why are you crying?" Zuko's voice asked her.

This time, despite her resolve not to speak to him, despite how much she hated it when he won, she broke. She couldn't help it; she answered him.

"Because they won't leave me alone! They taunt me! They haunt me at night! I want to die! I want to die! I want to quiet them!" she screeched.

He was silent.

Azula moaned in her loneliness. He was there, but she wasn't with him. She wasn't with anyone. She was alone.

"You don't mean that," he whispered hoarsely, "about dying."  
"I mean it!" she sobbed. Dying couldn't be worse than living the way she was now.

Zuko stood and pulled her to her feet. Outraged with his act of aiding her, she let her legs go limp. She would've crashed if it had not been for him. He caught her before she hit the ground and put her arm over his shoulder, carrying her down the hallway.

Azula opened her eyes a bit out of anger, but she could barely see for her tears. She thrashed and hit him, shrieking like a wild animal.

"Put me down!" she yelled, "Let me walk!"

Warily, he let her go, watching her with an unsure gaze.

"We're going back to your room," he said firmly. That was an order. She knew an order when she heard one; she had given enough of them in her life time.

She stumbled away down the hallway on her own. The sound of his footsteps followed her, and Azula bit her lip to keep herself from screaming. Why wouldn't death take her?

In her room, she stumbled to her hospital bed, no, cot, and sat down ungracefully. Her throat hurt something terrible from all her screaming, and her head pounded like it always did these days. Physical pain was almost a relief from the inner pain she felt constantly now. Though she was not one to inflict pain upon herself, she didn't cringe away from pain on the outside.

"When was the last time you slept or ate?" Zuko asked, sitting beside her.

Anger flared up inside of her. Who was he to tell her to sleep or eat? She was in charge of herself, whether she be lost or not. Azula dug her fingernails into her arm to control her anger. She hated him and she hated herself. She hated living, and everything living hated her.

"Azula!" he cried, snatching her hand away from her arm.

She looked down indifferently. Her nails had drawn blood. It formed in pools where her fingers had been. She looked at her hand. The nails were now stained with blood.

_Like a monster, _she thought to herself.

"Stop hurting yourself," he said, fetching a bandage from the cabinet against the wall. She let him bandage it only because the doctors would anyway. "Now answer me; when did you last sleep or eat?"

Azula remained silent. There was nothing she wanted to say to him. Absolutely nothing.

Zuko sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. Normally the sight of wearing him down would have thrilled her, but now she was too sore and exhausted. She felt weak, though she would never let anyone know, and she just wanted to be alone.

"I'll make you a deal," he said hoarsely, "If you answer my questions, I'll let you be."

After a moment she nodded. It was exactly what she wanted. She wanted to be rid of him, and she would do what she had to do to make it happen.

"Okay, now when was the last time you slept or ate?" he repeated.

She shrugged. In all honesty, she wasn't sure. She just knew that he wouldn't leave her alone until she answered him.

"Azula…"  
"I don't know!" she said hoarsely, "I can't."

He frowned at her, like a parent to a small child who wouldn't listen. She felt belittled and foolish, wishing she could just fade away.

"Why not?" he asked.

Azula shuddered.

"They'll come if I sleep," she said softly, "They'll only leave if I die, so I must not eat."

He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. It made her skin crawl, and she cringed under his touch.

"Can I make them leave?" he asked.

Azula snarled and smacked his hand away, repulsed by his words and his touch.

"You? No! You're the one who's to blame! You caused this! You took away my destiny! You didn't have the grace to kill me!" she screamed. Turning towards him, she glared at him with violently blazing eyes. The gold irises seemed to burn with intensity unlike any other.

Suddenly, his gold eyes, exactly like hers except they didn't burn with pain, suffering, and hatred, filled with tears. This didn't move her in the slightest. She was numb to anyone else's feelings. Seeing him cry just disgusted her.

"I won't say I'm sorry for what I did," he said, "because I did what was right."

She fixed him with the most hateful gaze she could muster.

"You destroyed me!" she screeched, her already raw throat burning, "And you don't care!"

This time it was his turn to glare at her. He grabbed her bandaged arm and held it up in front of her. For a moment, she was afraid of him. His gaze was not hateful, but angry, very angry. She wasn't afraid that he would hurt her; she was more afraid of what he could have the doctors or nurses do.

"I don't care, huh?" he fumed, shaking her arm, "Do you think that after I come here time after time, taking care of you?" He let her arm drop. "Why do you think I'm here? Because I enjoy seeing you fall apart? No, I'm here because it nearly ripped me apart to see my sister lose herself because of me. There is no hope for our father, but there is hope for you. I would do anything within my power to help you," he said.

Azula frowned darkly and stood up. Staggering to the window, she tried to ignore the use of the word "hope". There was no hope. Nothing would heal her. It was a hopeless fight against a current a thousand times stronger than her. The voices would consume her. She couldn't fight forever.

"Kill me then," she said, voice calm, "That would be the kindest thing."

Zuko was silent. Azula didn't realize that for the first time since she had come to the hospital, she sounded like her old self. Her voice was calm, even, and cold, with the slightest edge of cunning. It seemed odd to be coming from such broken-down figure. The light from the setting sun outlined her at the window. Such a sad sight it was.

With a sigh, Zuko shook his head.

"I will not kill you, Azula," he said.

The old Azula vanished, and the new and broken soul returned.

"Then there is nothing you can do! Get out!" she snapped viciously.

Sighing again, Zuko stood and turned to go but stopped and looked back at her.

"Azula, why were you yelling for our mother earlier when you… um… fell down?" he asked.

She clenched her fists. She wasn't going to answer him. Not anymore. She was done with him.

"Answer me and I'll leave," he said.

Azula just wanted him to leave her alone.

"She quiets the voices," she whispered, "But she's left me. She's not coming back. Now get out!"

Zuko sighed as he looked at his sister.

"I'll see you next week," he said softly in parting.

"I don't care," she hissed, but he was already gone.

He walked away, keeping his promise to his poor sister, leaving her in her usual loneliness. As she listened to his footsteps fade away, she felt tears leak down her cheeks. Life was pain. Life was suffering. Life wasn't worth living anymore. Nothing mattered anymore, nothing at all.

"I don't care," she mumbled as she sobbed, "I don't care."

Zuko walked down the hallway away from Azula's room. She had given him a lot to think about. And maybe, just maybe, he saw a way to help her.

Dr. Lin met him at the end of the hallway.

"Firelord Zuko," he said, "I take it the visit is over."

Zuko grimaced and rubbed his face tiredly. He nodded to answer the doctor's question. These visits were wearing him out. He didn't know how much more he could take. Azula was not only hurting herself; she was slowly dragging him down as well. He had one hope now. It was his only chance.

"Yes, it's over," he said, walking towards the door, "I'll try to be back next week."

Dr. Lin frowned.

"Try to be, sir?" he repeated.

Zuko turned to the older man and nodded.

"Yes, I think I have an idea to help Azula. It requires some traveling, though, so I can't be certain that I'll be back on time," he said.

Dr. Lin shook his head.

"Sir, pardon me for saying so, but if you leave her now, she'll be past the point of no return. She needs you!" he said sternly, "She is death-ridden and everyday she grows closer to that fate. Would you leave her?"

Zuko stopped and sighed. He wished it was that easy. Azula had told him what he needed to do, whether she knew it or not. And leaving her for a few weeks was a chance he had to take.

"I have to do this," he said, resolved to his duty.

"But, sir, she is near death! If she doesn't eat…"

Zuko turned and stared at the doctor with intense gold eyes. Dr. Lin gulped and opened and closed his mouth several times before he spoke.

"Well, of course, if this really is _urgent_, I guess she'll be okay for a few weeks…"

"I have a task for you, Doctor," Zuko said softly, "Keep my sister alive. I don't care what you have to do, force feed her, tie her to a chair, anything! Just keep her alive until I get back. If anyone questions your methods, blame the Firelord."

Dr. Lin nodded.

"Yes, sir, understood."

With a nod of his head, Zuko left the hospital, many thoughts on his mind. It seemed he would have to see if Aang would loan him Appa for a little while.


	2. Chapter 2

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part 2:

They left her for two days after the visit. The doctors and nurses left her to herself, alone in her world of ice cold pain misery. The voices departed from her as well, leaving her to dread their return.

For Azula, though, two days didn't mean anything. In her mind, time no longer existed. How could it? When one day was the same as the last, with the same dull, throbbing emptiness surrounding her, what difference did it make to her what day it was? What was the difference between sunlight and moonlight when you constantly lived in darkness? What was the point of counting the days of your life if you weren't really living?

For two days, Azula did not sleep; she did not eat. She sat by the window where Zuko had left her, seeing nothing, feeling nothing. Later on, she could not recall how many times the sun had set or how many times night had turned into day, but she knew she had not slept. The voices would have sliced her with their razor-sharp laughter if she had allowed herself to slip into that realm of nightmares. So, she remained awake.

It was a shiver on the cold morning of the third day since the visit that broke her from her numb state. Her teeth chattered, and goosebumps rose on her arms. Azula hissed and wrapped her thin arms around her chest. She hated the cold. The cold reminded her of water and ice, of being frozen and helpless by the water peasant's bending. The memory made her shake from more than just cold.

Across the room there was a blanket draped over her simple hospital bed. She could go get it. She could get rid of the cold. Or she could let the cold take her, make her sick and lead her to a quick end. Then another shiver ran up her spine, and her desire to be rid of it won over the desire to meet her end quickly.

Wearily, Azula lifted herself out of her chair with shaking legs. A twisted laugh of sick glee escaped her when she nearly crashed to the floor. Her legs could barely support her frail frame. Every day that passed took more and more strength from her. Soon, she would be too weak, and this would all be over.

"Poor Zuko and his hopes," she cackled to herself, "All of this to have them crushed as always."

It would give him pain, and that was exactly what Azula wanted.

The blanket on her bed was a soft, fuzzy thing meant more for wrapping around newborns than a princess. Upon picking it up, she scowled at the color. Blue. Pale blue, but blue nonetheless. Everything in her room was pale and nearly colorless. White walls, worn wooden floor, pale yellow sheets, pale lilac curtains, white chest. As she flung the blanket around her shoulders, Azula remembered her old rooms. The walls had been covered with bold, strong reds. Heavy draperies bearing the black and read Firenation emblem had hung from the ceiling. Rich, red rugs had adorned the floors. Her bed had been made with fine sheets of red silk. All of her clothing had been red, black and gold, she remembered as she picked at her pale blue hospital gown that hung off of her in folds.

Everything around her was too pale and too empty, much like her. Azula supposed it didn't matter though. It wasn't like she would remain there long. No, soon she would be leaving for good.

As she turned towards her chair by the window, a gleam on the wall caught her eye. What remained of her curiosity rose up inside of her and forced her to take a step closer. It was a flat pane of glass with a very reflective surface.

Suddenly, Azula screamed aloud in fright. There was a monster! A monster was staring back at her through the glass on the wall! Who would let such a thing in a hospital? This was a place for the sick, not a place for demon!

Scrambling away in fear, Azula raised her hands in defense...

...and to her confusion, so did the monster.

She blinked and frowned, daring to drop her defenses and lowering her arms.

The monster did as well.

Slowly, she approached the thing, holding her breath as the monster came nearer to her as well. Extending a shaking arm, she reached out to it, lip trembling as the monster did exactly the same thing as her. Just as they were about to touch, the tips of her fingers came in contact with a smooth, cool surface.

_The pane of glass_, she thought, _but why...?_

She gasped and withdrew her hand, trembling from head to foot.

Not a pane of glass, she realized, but a mirror.

There was no monster in the room except her.

Sickly, sallow skin stretched across her facial bones. Her lips were dry and cracked, caked with dried blood and scabby skin. There were scratches all over her gaunt and grey face, standing out like embers of a dying fire. She must have given them to herself, she realized as she studied her fingers, stained with dried blood. Her hair was the black, wild mane of an animal, twisted and tangled in messy strands.

All of this, however, was nothing compared to her eyes, which haunted her most. Azula couldn't recognize them, no matter how hard she tried. They were dark and sunken with deep lines and wrinkles from lack of sleep. Her brow bones stood out, casting a veil of shadow over them. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot, giving her a demonic appearance. The gold color of her eyes was the only thing that hadn't changed, but even that held a sickening shine that stood out in the shadows. The gleam in her eyes was one belonging to a wild animal caught in a cage, mad from confinement and afraid of its captors.

_My own mother thought I was a monster._

Was this what Ursa had seen inside her daughter when she was only a child? Had she known in some way that one day she would come to this? Was that why she had loved Zuko more? Because not even a mother could love a monster?

A blood-chilling shriek escaped her lips, and Azula sank to her knees. This was what she had come to. The once proud Firenation princess was a monster even in her own eyes. Her sobs shook her, sounding more like the howls of an animal touched by hot metal than a human girl.

A knock at her door startled her, and her head snapped up viciously.

"What?" she growled at the door, teeth bared and eyes deadly.

A moment passed before someone replied.

"Azula?" a voice said in a worried tone, "Are you alright? You haven't been out of your room in two days, and I thought I heard a scream."

Azula turned away and curled up in the corner. A nurse, of course. A jailer to her prison. Wardens to her misery, locking her in emptiness.

"Go away!" she snapped, hiding herself in the shadows. Why couldn't they just let her be? Was it not obvious that she did not want them to help her?

Azula knew that her mind wasn't in the greatest of states, but she knew "go away" did not mean "come in".

Apparently, to the nurse that was exactly what it meant. The door opened slowly with a creak. She heard footsteps as the woman entered the room.

_Go away; leave me alone. There is no hope for monsters. Why don't you just give up? _

"Azula?" the woman said when she saw her. She came nearer despite the look of venom shot at her by her patient. She crouched down and looked at her with concerned blue eyes.

In truth, Azula couldn't remember if she had seen this nurse before. After all, a jailer was a jailer. They all had the same intention, no matter what they looked like. But to her knowledge, she had not seen this woman before. This one didn't have the same fear in her eyes as all the others.

She was a tall, well-built woman, looking like she was better suited to leading an army than tending the sick. She wasn't pretty, with her too-small mouth, big eyes and crooked nose, but who was Azula to talk about beauty? After all, she wasn't exactly the fairest in all the land.

After a moment of looking her over, the woman gently took her wrist. Azula hissed and snatched it back like the woman had burned her rather than checked for her pulse. The nurse held up her hands and backed up a little.

"My apologies. Next time I will ask," she said with a sad but sincere voice.

_Why bother asking? If you don't do it, someone else will have to anyway._

"I am your new nurse. It seems you last nurse didn't feel she deserved the honor," she said.

Azula snorted.

"Liar," she mumbled, daring the nurse to disagree.

The nurse shook her head.

"It's not a lie. She didn't want the challenge of caring for the royal family."

Silence stretched between them. Azula eyed her suspiciously. This was a trap. No nurse ever sat this long with her if they could avoid it. She was waiting for her to give something away, she had to be.

"It doesn't matter to me," Azula said finally, "You're just another guard looking after a prisoner."

It didn't seem the nurse was surprised or upset when she heard what Azula said. She just shrugged.

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it, in your case. But prisoners are still people, and I've promised to help all people in need," she said.

"I am not in need!" Azula screeched, "I don't want help! You don't need help to die!"

She leaped up and scrambled past her, ducking into the shadows of another corner. She breathed heavily, the effort of moving so quickly taking much out of her. What was this woman trying to do? Make friends? Prisoners didn't befriend their guards.

"I know you want to die, Azula," the nurse said, "And I can't say I blame you. Few have ever gone through so much as you and held themselves together."

Azula cackled softly at the woman's blindness to the obvious.

"You think I'm together?" she said, a twisted grin upon her face, "I've been cut so many times that I'm the furthest thing from together!" She turned and looked at the nurse, who was still sitting across the room.

Shaking her head, the nurse sighed.

"You aren't broken apart in pieces great distances away from each other. No, only some of your threads have been cut, leaving you to unravel slowly. You only need to tie the loose ends together to start repairing the damage."

When Azula looked at her with obvious disagreement on her face, the woman shrugged.

"Or so I've been told by weavers," she said, casting a small smile in Azula's direction. Then she stood up and smoothed her skirt with a sense of accomplishment Azula didn't understand. "Oh, I thought you should know that your weekly appointment with Dr. Lin is today."

Azula froze. Usually they just barged in and snatched her away to take her to the appointment without any forewarning. It was no surprise. She hated the doctor, and fought them every time they came. She hated being forced to answer his questions and being poked and prodded. Zuko had obviously told him to keep her alive or else. Now _she_ was paying the price for it.

"But," the nurse said, "I believe if upon inspection I found you sleeping for the first time in weeks, he would be willing to push the appointment to tomorrow."

Frowning, Azula looked at her with suspicion. Why would she do that for her? She was her patient. If she lied about her condition, the nurse could be punished, especially since she was the Firelord's sister.

"Why would you lie for me?" Azula whispered, suddenly confused.

The nurse smiled slyly and shrugged.

"I believe they've lied to you enough. It's time they have a taste of their own medicine," she said, "No pun intended, of course."

With one last smile, she walked out the door and closed it softly behind her.

Azula was confused. The woman had just had a conversation with her, and Azula had talked to her willingly. Both of them were unharmed at the end of the conversation. Was this woman telling the truth, or was it all an act? Azula wasn't sure.

In the end, she decided it was an act. It had to be, didn't it? Who would honestly take time to care for her?

But they didn't come to take her to Dr. Lin that day just like the nurse had said.

_Author's Notes:_

_Um, hi. I'm new to all of this, so please, bear with me. And I have no idea where else to put them, so let's just put the Author's Notes here. Kay? Kay. Thanks to those of you who reviewed on part one! I really appreciate feedback. To OmniSchreiber: Thanks for pointing out that thing about the visitors. I did put that Zuko was the only visitor to return time after time (as opposed to Ty Lee not returning after 1 visit), but apparently that wasn't very clear. I'll fix that soon. To The Real Iggy: I loved your review. The only thing is I'm afraid I might have set the bar too high! I appreciate all reviews. Thanks again! Sorry about the long wait for Part 2. _


	3. Chapter 3

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

By the way, I do not own anything from Avatar: the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to this story.

Part Three:

Of course, nothing good could last, could it?

Azula discovered this the next morning when shouting outside her door made her jump in fright. She scampered to a dark corner as far away from the door as she could manage and pulled her knees to her chest, trying to make herself small and invisible within the shadows. Over the pounding of her racing heart, she managed to hear the angry conversation outside the door.

"You can't do this!" a woman's voice shouted angrily, "She's hurting enough as it is! This will just hurt her more!"

The nurse, Azula realized, wondering why the woman was coming to her defense again. She couldn't honestly care for her at all, could she? No, of course not.

"Excuse me, but you are not the doctor here! I am!" Dr. Lin's voice shouted in reply, "I will decide what will and will not help her! Now get out of the way!"

Fear crept up inside her, making her tremble. What were they going to do? They wouldn't hurt her would they? They couldn't. She was the Princess of the Firenation. They couldn't. They couldn't.

"You may be her doctor, but I am her nurse. And I am the only one in this hospital that has managed to have an actual conversation with the poor girl! Don't you understand it isn't something force and nutrition will fix? She's hurting inside!" Azula heard someone pressed up against her door. Was that her? Was that the woman that had been kind to her yesterday? Why was she doing this?

"I have had several appointments with my patient, thank you, now stand aside!" the doctor roared. Up until then, Azula was no stranger to hearing the doctor yell. With a patient prone to use violence towards her caretakers, it was surprising the man still had a voice. But Azula had never heard him yell like this. He had never sounded this angry and ferocious.

A moment of silence passed before the woman let out a muffled cry, followed by the thud of something hitting the ground. A person? That woman? They hadn't actually used physical violence to move her, did they?

The door slammed open. Dr. Lin scanned the room with angry, fierce eyes. The vein in his forehead stuck out, and his face was an angry, volatile crimson. For a moment, Azula thought that he would miss her in her corner. Holding her breath, she sank as far into the shadows as she could. He didn't see her; she would escape his notice and resume her lonely existence. Then his eyes locked on her, and he pointed at her.

"She's there in that corner. Bring her to the room. I'll be waiting," he said to three nurses behind him. With one last look at her, he turned on his heal and was gone with a swish of his doctor's robes.

The three nurses, all men, raided the room for her. Azula screamed as they grabbed her, lashing out as violently. They grabbed her hands as she swung her fists towards their heads. Was she really that weak that she couldn't even punch someone anymore? She fought them as they pulled her to her feet. Using her weight against them wouldn't work; she weighed so little that just one of them could have overpowered her. The cold reality struck her with a force that made her eyes sting with tears. They would do anything they had to in order to keep her alive, and she was too weak to resist them.

As they yanked her out the door, Azula saw the nurse, bent over on the floor, breathing hard. She looked up at her frightened patient and gritted her teeth in anger.

"For the love of the spirits! Let her go, please! Say I threatened to injure you! Just let her go!" she pleaded with the men holding her. Not surprisingly, they ignored her.

Azula allowed them to hold her off the ground for a moment, then swung her legs up and kicked the nurse holding her right arm in the stomach. He doubled over, and Azula kneed the other man in the groin. She collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, feeling like she was going to pass out.

"Please," she gasped painfully, crawling towards the nurse, "Help me! Please!"

The woman moved to her side and sat her up carefully. Azula wheezed as she tried to catch her breath, her heart pounding like a drum. The woman put an arm around her and shot a glare at the nurse still standing.

"Please, sir, don't do this," she pleaded in a whisper, "She is as frail as a child. Please, for her sake, don't do this."

The man snorted.

"For her sake?" he snapped, "Her forces wiped out my village. Burned it to the ground! And you ask me to take pity on her?" He scowled at the woman and grabbed Azula's arm. With a forceful tug, he pulled her to her feet.

Azula screamed, trying to break his grip. Her blows didn't even make him flinch.

"Let's go, your Highness," he sneered as one of the other nurses grabbed her arm.

They pulled her down the hallway, deaf to her desperate cries.

"No! Let me go! Let me go!" she screeched, "If you hate me so much, why don't you let me die?" Tears ran down her cheeks like rivers. She gasped through angry, fearful sobs, finally running out of strength to fight back.

She knew why they wouldn't let her go. They didn't want her to die; they wanted her to suffer. Dying would be too easy. She let her feet drag on the floor as she waited for her fate. Why couldn't she have died when that waterbender bested her? Why couldn't Zuko have killed her? Why was she still here?

"Azula!" the nurse cried to her, "You'll be okay! Just stay strong, child! Stay strong!"

Stay strong? There was nothing strong about Azula. Just a weak, miserable shadow in the place of a once immovable, deadly firebender. She screamed in anger, misery and hate. Her chilling cries echoed down the halls in a haunting cadence of terror.

They pulled her to a room with a chair. Before Azula could even begin to ponder what was going on, they forced her into it and strapped her down. Azula kept screaming and struggling as the leather straps were tightened around her arms. They secured her legs as well and moved away from her to the side wall, standing as if waiting patiently for someone. Azula pulled against the bonds desperately, but they held her nearly still.

_Why is this happening to me?_ she thought miserably, crying pitifully and hopelessly.

_You know why, little Azula. _

Azula froze when she heard the cutting, frosty voice, her screams cut off from the ice-cold fear running up her spine. No, not now, they couldn't come now. Why now of all times?

_Oh, I think you know why. It seems you've failed once again. Haven't you, little Azula? You're so pathetic. You used to be above this. No one forced you against your will. Now, you don't even have the strength to fight them._

"Ah, Azula," Dr. Lin said, walking into the room with a bowl in his hands, "I see we've calmed down a bit." He stopped in front of her, smiling contently.

_See how they smile, little Azula. They know you can't do anything now. They have control of you. _

Azula screwed up her face in disgust at the doctor. Calm? Like he was one to talk of being calm. He only had three of his male nurses strap her to a chair. No, that wasn't in the least bit raucous.

Still smiling, Dr. Lin sat on a stool in front of her. It was only then that Azula noticed what was in the bowl he was holding. The smell of it wafted up to her nose, and her stomach lurched in hunger. Her body was telling her to eat, to stop starving it, but her mind was sickened by the thought of food.

_Oh, come now, little Azula. Don't you want a bit of soup to make you stronger? You're not afraid of eating, are you? _

Trying to squirm away from him, she clenched her jaw firmly shut. She would not eat. They wouldn't make her eat. They wouldn't. They couldn't.

Dr. Lin's smile faltered, and he furrowed his brow in frustration.

"Now, now, Azula, I don't want to have to force you…" He held up a spoon in front of her, like he was spoon-feeding a child.

_But he'll have to. Little Azula's just a child. She won't eat on her own._

Azula's hands were turning white from pulling against her restraints. She wanted to scream at him and the voices to leave her alone, but both would gain satisfaction from it, and the spoon the doctor was holding would be shoved into her mouth.

"Azula," the doctor warned, holding the spoon up to her lips.

The hot soup touched her lips, and her hands were starting to lose feeling. She turned her head suddenly, jarring the spoon. Soup splattered onto her dress, and Dr. Lin scowled in annoyance.

"You're making this difficult, Azula!" he said through gritted teeth as he dipped the spoon into the bowl again. The vein in his forehead started to twitch, as it always did when he got frustrated with her.

_Yes, very, very difficult, little Azula, and that means this will only end badly for you. You can't win this fight. You're going to lose._

"Nurse!" the doctor called, gesturing to his squirming patient. Hands were suddenly on her head and shoulders, and she knew at least two nurses held her in place. Her heart thudded angrily and hopelessly. This wasn't fair! They couldn't do this to her.

Again, the spoon found its way to her lips. Someone plugged her nose, forcing her to open her mouth to breathe. Before she knew it, a warm, savory broth was in her mouth. Part of her, the starving part, wanted to swallow it.

_Swallow, little Azula. Swallow and give up!_

Then in her mind, the part that was still hers, she remembered why she was fighting them. She spat the soup back out right into Dr. Lin's face. She glared at him, eyes aglow with hate, and bared her teeth in a defiant scowl.

For a moment, the voices in her mind wavered, and she felt stronger than she had in weeks. Nobody could force her to do anything. She was her own self, and she did not take orders. She was Azula, Princess of the Firenation, and she did not permit this.

Then the doctor wiped off his spectacles gingerly, and motioned for the nurses to hold her tighter. He sighed as he put his glasses back on his face, dipping the spoon in the bowl once again.

"Alright, Azula," he said as if talking to a naughty child, "I didn't want to do this, but since you're refusing…"

Someone plugged her nose again. He shoved the spoon into her mouth, and before she could spit it back out, he held her mouth shut. Azula choked and thrashed, but she could hardly move. She screamed in her throat, eyes filling with tears of desperation.

"Swallow, Azula."

_Yes, swallow, little Azula. Do as the doctor says._

She struggled for only a few more seconds before her lungs felt like they were going to burst. Reluctantly, she let the soup slide down her throat and gasped for air as they released her for a brief moment.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed as their hands grabbed her once more. Another spoonful of soup was forced into her mouth, and again she had no choice but to swallow.

_That's a good girl, little Azula. Eat up, child. You have no choice._

Spoonful after spoonful was forced down her throat. Azula gagged and coughed, tears flowing fiercely down her cheeks. She screamed and thrashed, but it did her no good. They had control of her.

_Did you honestly think you were going to win? You may have been the stronger once, but now you are only a failure. A disgusting, pathetic lunatic, screaming and gagging on soup. You are fighting an already lost war. Why not just give up?_

Why did they have to torture her so? She didn't want to live. Why didn't they just give up? No one cared for her anyway. Who in the world would be sad if she was gone?

_"Her forces wiped out my village. Burned it to the ground! And you ask me to take pity on her?"_

The man's voice rang in her mind, along with all the others. They wanted revenge. They hated her, and until they were sure that she had endured the torture they had, they would keep her alive just to torture her. It was a war. A war she had no allies in.

"Let me go!" she sputtered, "Please, just let me go!"

_Oh, but you have no power, little Azula. The only power you had was in the fear they had of you. But now, no one fears you. They only hate you. Killing you would be an easy escape. No, you shall live, but never beyond these walls!_

She let out another strangled cry as they continued their force-feeding. This time she had to give in. Fighting wasn't a choice anymore. Tears of defeat mixed with the earlier tears, washing her bony cheeks.

"That's a girl, Azula," Dr. Lin said, "You don't have to fight."

A scream that set them all on edge escaped her, and she let her head fall forward.

_I give up, _she thought, _will you leave me be now?_

They picked up her head, only to drop it suddenly. Azula shut her eyes, expecting them to restrain her again with renewed vigor. Surprisingly, they did not. She did not open her eyes, but she heard shouting, lots of shouting.

"Didn't you hear her? She said let her go!"

"Boy, you have no say in this…" Dr. Lin started to say. He was cut off by a hard smack,and the sound of the bowl shattering on the floor was heard soon after.

"Get out!" the new voice cried, "Get out of here, all of you!" The swish of something swinging towards the nurses came from her left and right. Azula didn't know what to think, she just kept squeezing her eyes shut tightly. It was only after she heard the sound of footsteps retreating down the hall from her room did she dare to crack her lids open.

Someone gently undid the straps on her arms and legs.

"Animals," he said, disgust apparent in his voice, "They should know better than to treat patients like this."

Azula opened her eyes completely and saw a tan hand undo the last strap on her arm. Red welts were starting to appear where the leather restraints had held her down. She had struggled so hard that she had practically rubbed the skin right off her arms and legs. Even after she was free, she sat completely still.

Her rescuer stood in front of her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, "If they harmed you, I swear…"

Azula didn't hear the rest of what he said. She had noticed the shattered bowl on the floor. It wasn't a small bowl, but there was a surprisingly small amount of soup on the ground. It couldn't have dried away that fast, so how why…?

A sudden panic took over her as she realized how much she had eaten. She had eaten almost a whole bowl of soup! The voices would be returning with renewed strength now! She was farther still from her end. Her lips trembled, and she squeezed her eyes shut as the tears started to flow. Her head buried in her arms, she wept forlornly at the fact that her torture would endure when she had been so close to ending it.

"Hey, don't cry," the stranger said, placing a warm hand on her arm, "They're gone now. You're alright."

Azula looked up at him for the first time. He was a tall, skinny boy with messy brown hair, tan skin, and brown eyes emphasized under dramatically angled eyebrows. His face read concern quite clearly as he looked at her.

"But they'll come back," she whispered, trembling slightly. She didn't know whether she was talking about the voices or the doctors and nurses, but each scared her equally as much.

For a moment the boy studied her. Then, something like recognition flashed through his eyes, and a cold, hard light filled them. Taking a step back, he stared at her with wide eyes. The concern on his face vanished and was replaced with a barely-concealed revulsion.

"You're Azula," he said, voice flat and empty. His mouth was a hard, straight line. The way he looked at her was an expectant gaze, as if he expected her to say something to confirm his statement or to deny it. Azula said nothing. Instead, she buried her face in her hands and tried to ignore the throbbing pain that was slowly filling her mind.

_You know who I am, now leave! _she thought, waiting to hear the sound of his fading footsteps down the hall.

But she never heard them. Several minutes passed before she heard anything at all. Wondering if he had snuck out of the room so quietly that she hadn't heard him, Azula glanced up briefly to see him still standing in front of her, rooted to the spot as if frozen.

Why was he there? He obviously despised her, so why didn't he leave? Everyone else left her alone. No one had ever stayed with her longer than they had to. Except…

"Azula!"

She looked up to see her nurse running panic-stricken into the room. The woman fell to her knees by her side, looking sincerely worried and concerned. She inhaled sharply when she saw her red, raw wrists, standing out fiercely against her sickly, pale skin. With a gentle hand, she went to touch them but stopped in the middle of the gesture and looked up at her.

"May I?" she asked gently.

Azula hesitated, but not seeing how it would hurt to have the nurse look over the welts, she nodded meekly. The woman gingerly took her arm and looked at the bruising skin.

"You fought against them, didn't you?" she said, though she already knew the answer.

Azula nodded silently.

The nurse sighed and shook her head.

"I couldn't ask you to do otherwise," she said, "But I wish it didn't have to involve you getting hurt."

Then she turned her head to the boy standing in front of Azula, as if noticing for the first time that he was there. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a demanding gaze, almost like a mother to a misbehaving child. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and looked away, looking guilty.

"Hello, Kala," he said quietly, "This is your patient, huh?" He grinned nervously, wringing his fingers and licking his lips.

It was amazing how fast her nurse, Kala, could go from being a worried caregiver to looking exceptionally intimidating.

"Tell me, Jet," she said, crossing her arms, "Were you the reason Dr. Lin was shouting that my 'charges were destroying the air of tranquility in the hospital'?"

_Jet? _Azula thought. _That's an odd name._


	4. Chapter 4

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Five:

As far as Jet was concerned, there were only three rules of the hospital that applied to him:

Do the chores; leave the patients alone.

Do not, no matter the circumstances, get on Dr. Lin's bad side.

When breaking any of the previous rules, make sure Kala doesn't find out.

And yet, he had somehow managed to break all three of them in less than ten minutes.

He sat beside Kala in front of Dr. Lin's desk, the doctor looking at them with a none-too-pleased expression. His look told Jet that if he could have his way, the boy would already be on the road to some destination far away from the hospital. He was only keeping him here because of Kala.

_I knew I shouldn't have mopped the South Wing today,_ he thought to himself, _I should have put it off until tomorrow._

Kala sat up straight with her hands folded gently in her lap, looking as if she was having tea with the doctor instead of fighting to keep her job. Jet suppressed a smile. His guardian was braver than most people he knew. With a pang of guilt, he chided himself mentally for perhaps the thousandth time for getting her into trouble.

"Nurse Kala," the doctor said tightly, rousing Jet from his thoughts, "Please tell me again why in just two days you and your cleaning boy have managed to cause more commotion than we've seen in a year."

Kala shrugged her shoulders casually and held her hands up innocently.

"A year ago, Dr. Lin, we were in the midst of a war and had so many patients we could hardly walk through the hallways," she quipped. "I'd have to say things have improved tremendously since then."

Dr. Lin pounded his fist into his desk suddenly, making Jet start.

"Do not change the subject!" he roared, his face flushing a deep, angry crimson, "I am charged by the Firelord himself to keep his sister alive! And when I go to carry out that order, both of you have sabotaged my attempts!"

Jet cleared his throat and spoke up in a soft voice.

"Well, actually, it was only me who did any sabotaging," he said matter-of-factly, "Kala just asked for you not to…"

A stern look from Kala silenced him immediately. When Jet looked back up at the doctor, he was sure, judging by the vein twitching in the man's forehead, that he would soon be the victim of an attempted murder. He swallowed and looked back down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs nervously.

"Never mind," he said quickly.

Kala sighed tiredly, making him feel like a misbehaving child.

"Dr. Lin, I did not mean any harm in speaking out against your…uh… methods," she said, "I merely believe that if you wish to keep the girl alive, you must first heal her mind."

For a moment the man did nothing except look at them with a blank stare. Then a weird choking sound started to come from him. Jet was wondering if the doctor was having a stroke when a wheezing, out-of-control laughter burst from him. Dr. Lin leaned against his desk, clutching his sides, and hooted merrily until his face was red and his eyes brimmed with tears.

"Heal her mind?" he wheezed, wiping his eyes, "Spirits above, Kala! They told me you were known for your success with hopeless patients, not talking nonsense!"

Kala's face was empty of all emotion. Jet was about to stand up and demand an apology from the man, but a quick, meaningful glance from Kala silenced the idea in his head.

"I do not believe it nonsense," she retorted tightly, her hands in her lap balling into fists. "It is the truth. If we continue to force nutrition upon her, not only will she see us as the enemy, but the act will scar her even more."

Dr. Lin snorted.

"The entire world is that girl's enemy," he sneered, "She's been here a year now and has not once showed a sign of caring for her own survival. If we don't do something, she will die."

"She's hardly living now the way you have her locked up," Jet blurted out before he could stop himself.

Kala cuffed him on the back of the head and scowled at him.

"You are not making this any easier, Jet!" she said through clenched teeth.

"It's true!" he insisted, the old Freedom Fighter flaring up inside of him, "I bet you she doesn't even remember the last time she saw the sun rise."  
Later on, he would realize Kala just wanted him to shut up long enough for her to win the argument with Dr. Lin, but at that moment he was back in his old Freedom Fighter mindset. He wasn't just going to sit there while a tyrant was running this hospital!

But instead of going into a rage at his outburst like Jet expected, Dr. Lin laughed as if Jet had told a fine joke.

"You make me out to be a monster of sorts, boy," he said, "But I assure you, I didn't bother learning the art of healing if I was going to harm people. In fact, as I recall, you've done more harm than I have when it comes to the people in the Firenation."

Jet looked away and gritted his teeth.

"No one was hurt in the flood," he muttered in a low, guilt-ridden voice. Each time he tried to put his past mistakes behind him, someone always brought them up.

"Yes, but the village was destroyed, if I recall correctly. Homes of the people living there. Oh, I hope they're not shivering out in some refugee camp because of you."

Jet said nothing, and Kala looked at him, face full of concern.

"Actually," Dr. Lin continued, rubbing his chin, "It's quite curious to ponder why you would help someone like Azula. After all, she is Princess of the Firenation, however decrepit she might be. It's people like her who are to blame for your parents' deaths."

"Dr. Lin!" Kala intervened, "This appointment has taken a complete turn in subject matter, and I suggest we get back to the matter at hand."

Jet looked at her gratefully. She knew how hard it was for him to live in a place where the main focus was to aid the sick of the Firenation. His old wounds were healing, but he had no doubt there would be scars he would live with for the rest of his days. He hadn't even intentionally helped Azula! The screams had just sounded so horrible, so hopeless…

"Well then," Dr. Lin said with a smirk, "I suppose it's time to get down to the verdict." He shuffled through the papers on his desk and pulled one out. Skimming over it, he said, "You've been working here for quite some time now, haven't you?"

"That is correct, sir," Kala replied curtly.

"And it would be a pity to let such a successful career to go to waste, especially since you have two young ones of your own far away, living on the money you send them," he said in a voice that told Jet he could care less about Kala's children. "If only your terms didn't include giving this boy a job as well…"

"You know I am not going to be swayed on those conditions," Kala said sternly, "Jet is my responsibility until I deem fit, and therefore, he will work by me where I can keep an eye on him."

Jet dared a glance at his guardian, but he found her face as unreadable as usual.

Dr. Lin mumbled something and sighed.

"Fine," he said, "I will make you a deal. You have one month. If your patient makes any improvement in that time, you can continue to care for her for another month, and if she improves, another month, etc. But should you or this boy cause any trouble whatsoever, I will be sure to resume my care of the girl, and you will have to find another place to make a living. Am I clear?"

Kala nodded.

"Yes, sir, very clear."

"And you, boy!" Dr. Lin said, turning to him suddenly, "Since you seem so taken to our Fire Princess, you will be her aide along with your normal chores. We need someone to keep an eye on her. She's terribly unstable."

"What!" Jet exclaimed, "I can't be her aide! Do you have any idea how big this building is? It would take…"

"Of course!" Kala interrupted, smiling widely, "Jet would be glad to, wouldn't you, Jet?"

Jet opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. How could she agree to this? It was so unfair. He was already working all day long cleaning the entire hospital with hardly and spare time. How could he watch over a deranged firebender at the same time?

"Your offer has left him speechless, Dr. Lin," Kala said cheerful as Jet stared dumbly at her.

"Good," the doctor said, standing up, "The trial starts tomorrow. I will be watching very closely."

Kala stood up and nodded her head.

"Of course, sir," she said, smiling, "I would expect nothing less." She pulled Jet up by the arm and headed towards the door. Jet still stared at her like she had lost her mind.

When she had pulled the door shut behind her, Kala dropped his arm and left him standing there with his jaw slack. She didn't… She wouldn't…

"You did not just agree to that!" he said, running after her, "Please, tell me I am dreaming or have lost my sanity or whatever. I did not just hear you agree to let me take on a patient."

"You're not a nurse, so therefore she's not a patient. Think of it as the next step in your healing process, Jet," she said, "Helping a firebender."

"But there are plenty of cute little children that are firebenders!" Jet insisted, "I could help one of them anytime!"

Kala shot him a look that told him quite clearly to shut up. Jet let his shoulders sag in defeat and sighed. Kala would not hear anything else from him on the subject.

"Could you at least tell me why you're making me do this?" he asked.

Kala smiled slyly and shrugged.

"Oh, I have several reasons. You'll just have to see."

Jet rolled his eyes and muttered a curse, earning him a cuff on the head.

"Watch your mouth, Mr. Freedom Fighter. I don't do these things without reason. Who knows? Maybe you'll actually learn something from it," she said.

Jet shook his head.

"I've already learned one thing," he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Kala looked pleased.

"Oh? And what is that?"

"Never mop the South Wing."


	5. Chapter 5

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Five:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

Kala knocked at Jet's door well before the sun was up. She knew quite well that he was averse to rising at such early hours, but if he wanted to finish his cleaning duties before tending to Azula, he would have to get an early start. If only the boy wasn't so hard to get out of bed in the morning.

"Jet, get up," she called through the door, "You need to get a move on if you want to keep Dr. Lin off your back."

She heard a muffled groan and assumed he had buried his head under his pillow. With a sigh, Kala shook her head. All teenagers were the same. They all stayed up too late, and didn't want to roll out of bed in the morning. Then the thought of Azula crossed her mind.

_Well, maybe not _all _teenagers, _she thought to herself.

After a minute or two without any further response from Jet, Kala rapped on the door again, this time louder.

"Jet! I have a pitcher of water out here that I will not hesitate to use on you if you don't get up!"

Ah, the classic cold water threat. It worked like a charm every time, especially since she had used it on him before. If he didn't want to have a damp mattress for the next few nights, he would have to be quick.

Immediately, she heard the results of her threat. She heard a thud on the floor and a moan filled with early-morning grogginess.

"Alright, alright!" he said through the door, "Give me two minutes!"

Sure enough, less than two minutes later, a sleepy-eyed Jet opened the door. Kala looked him up and down, noting that his clothes were wrinkled as if he had slept in them. His hair stood up all over as it always did, and his eyes had dark, heavy shadows underneath them.

"Spirits above, Jet!" she exclaimed as the young man rubbed his tired eyes, "Don't tell me you were out late last night!"

Jet blinked a few times before answering.

"I was cleaning," he mumbled sleepily, suppressing a yawn, "I decided to get it done so I wouldn't have to do it today."

Kala was impressed. It seemed his initiative was growing with each passing day. For a moment, she regretted waking him up at such an hour, but then decided as long as he was up, he could help her with breakfast.

"I commend you for your thoughtfulness. Come on. There's cooking to be done."

As she turned to go, Jet let out a groan in disbelief.

"What?" he cried, "Are you kidding me? I worked all last night and I still have to be your little kitchen boy?"

Kala glanced over her shoulder and smiled.

"Well, that depends. Did you mop the South Wing?" she asked.

Jet opened his mouth to speak then deflated in defeat.

"Of course not," he muttered to the floor.

Kala looked at him in triumph.

"Well, I suppose you can make up for it by helping me in the kitchen," she said, "Come on! Look lively! You'll get breakfast while it's hot!"

As she turned to go, she heard him mutter something under his breath.

"…every time I do something good…"

"What?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Your cooking's really good," he said quickly, a fake smile on his face.

Kala gave him a dubious glance before shaking her head and heading down to the kitchen. That boy was going to be the death of her.

In the kitchen, Jet yawned. Every time he attempted to do something good, he always ended up paying for it.

_No good deed goes unpunished, _he thought wearily, shaking his head to clear it of sleepiness. It didn't help that Kala's humming as she stirred the pot of whatever she was making was soft and sweet and made him want to close his eyes.

He had stayed up late cleaning the entire hospital like he was supposed to (except for the South Wing, of course) in hopes that he might get to sleep before having to tend to the psychopath princess. Now he saw that he should've expected Kala to wake him up at some ungodly hour. Even firebenders didn't get up this early! Though, after yesterday, he supposed this was her way of punishing him for causing a ruckus. With a sigh, he swore to himself for perhaps the thousandth time that he was never going to mop the South Wing again.

"Here, eat up," Kala said, rousing him from his thoughts.

She handed him a bowl of something hot, white, and lumpy. Jet looked at it for a moment before realizing it was the porridge the hospital was famous for. He felt his appetite diminish the longer he looked at it.

"Oh, go sit down and eat," Kala said tiredly, "As you said, my cooking is very good."

Jet screwed up his face in a grimace, but he did what she said. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, he blew on his hot breakfast and imagined it was a fine Earth Kingdom meal. Oh, how he missed his homeland. He missed the Freedom Fighters, too. Sometimes he wondered if their tree-top village was still there and if anyone still lived in it. Maybe one day he would return. Maybe.

Taking a spoonful of his breakfast, he swallowed with a barely-concealed grimace on his face. Nope, this was definitely not Earth Kingdom food. Kala turned around and dropped a spoonful of spice into it, nodding approvingly.

"There, try that," she said, looking at him expectantly.

After stirring in the spice, it wasn't half bad, he had to admit. Maybe there was hope for the hospital's cooking.

"Spice from Ba Sing Se," Kala said, as she placed the lid on the pot and allowed it to simmer, "I bought a lot of it the last time I was there. I thought we needed a little bit of culture in this lovely Firenation hospital today."

Jet grinned slightly at the woman as he continued to eat. This was her way of apologizing for not allowing him to go back to sleep. Despite the pang in his heart he felt when he thought of his home in the Earth Kingdom forest, Jet would not change his life with Kala for anything, besides maybe having his own parents back. Having lost them at such a young age, she was the first parent-like figure in his life in a very long time. Even though he had boasted the life of being an independent Freedom Fighter, there was something about having a parent in your life that you just couldn't replace.

"Now, about today," Kala said, sitting down in front of him, "Azula is a very… interesting individual."

Jet snorted. "Interesting" was not the word he would have chosen.

Kala gave him a warning look and continued.

"My goal this month is to have her sleeping and eating," she said, "Without the use of drugs, of course. Before we do that, we have to learn more about her."

Jet shrugged.

"What is there to know? She's the Princess of the Firenation, she was Ozai's favorite, she lost to Firelord Zuko in the Agni Kai, and she's crazy. Oh, and did I mention she's a deadly firebender?" he said.

Kala sighed and shook her head.

"You're being like everyone else, Jet," she said warningly, "You have to learn details, not just the stories everyone tells."

"Like what?" he asked, seeming bored.

"Like the fact that her brother wasn't the only one to beat her. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe also played a large part in her loss in the Agni Kai," Kala said.

Jet's eyes widened at the mention of Katara. How long had it been since he'd seen her or the rest of the gang? Did they even know he was alive? Probably not, he decided, as he hardly knew how he had escaped the Earth Kingdom.

"Therefore," Kala continued, "She most likely has taken to hating things she has associated with the girl. Water, for example, the color blue, the cold, who knows? You'll have to learn about her from the inside. Only then can we even start to think about helping her."

Jet bit his lip and stirred his soup absentmindedly.

"They'll be back…" he murmured quietly, turning over his encounter with the girl from the day before.

"What?" Kala asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

Jet looked up and shook his head.

"Just something she said yesterday. I told her they were gone, but she said 'they'll be back'. At the time, I thought she was talking about the doctor and nurses like I was, but her tone was just… off. Like she was talking about something else."

Kala pondered this for a moment before sighing.

"Who knows what goes on in that poor girl's mind? We could be dealing with demons, recurring memories, hallucinations, a twisted imaginary friend… anything really. And the problem is only she can see whatever it is, and she hardly speaks to anyone."

Jet sighed and took another bite of his breakfast. He admired Kala's undying hope for unpromising cases like this, but he didn't have the patience, compassion, or endurance that she did. How was he supposed to find anything out about a girl who usually attacked anyone who got near to her? If there was a light at the end of her tunnel, he could hardly see it.

"Kala, I think you trust in me way too much," he said.

The woman smiled and took his empty bowl away.

"And I think you trust in yourself way too little," she replied, pumping water into the sink. "Now, I know she hasn't slept a wink last night, and she probably has been dreading over the force-feeding incident yesterday. It might do her good if you take her some breakfast."

"Should I bring back the empty bowl?" Jet asked, preparing himself for the visit.

Kala looked at him blankly for a moment before she shook her head.

"Oh, she won't touch it," she said, handing him a bowl of porridge, "In fact, she might even try to throw it at you."

Jet's mouth fell open and tried to think of something to say. Why would he take breakfast to a psychopath if he was most likely going to be on the receiving end of the uneaten porridge?

At long last, he found his voice again.

"I… You… She… Porridge… at me?" he stammered, pointing to himself in disbelief. His eyes were as wide as saucers, and his jaw hung slack in disbelief.

Kala laughed.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much. Her aim's probably not too good in her weakened state. Now run along. I'll be up in a bit," she said encouragingly, "Besides, that's why you're the cleaning boy." She laughed again before turning back to her cooking.

Jet put the breakfast on a tray along with a pitcher of water and several napkins (which were mainly for his use should he become covered in Azula's breakfast) and left the kitchen with a sigh of defeat.

"No good deed goes unpunished," he muttered, "And yet I still attempt to do them. Am I just that dumb?"

He got no reply to his question, of course.

**Author's Notes: First of all, thanks for reading! Two posted in two days. I'm on a roll. Of course that probably means that I'll vanish off the face of the earth for a month then all of a sudden post again. Sorry. Unpredictability is in my nature. But I will promise you one thing: This story will be finished! I do not give people stories to read without knowing I can finish them. So, back to the story. To all of you "Jet is most definitely dead, and dead is dead" people, sorry. My magical author powers have brought him back to life. And no, I did not forget to mention why he was there, how he survived, what he has to do with Kala, etc. We'll be learning more about that in the future (near or far, who knows? Hopefully near). I love reviews, even the not so good ones. If I'm going the wrong way, I won't know unless you tell me! Thanks again for reading! Tell your friends!**


	6. Chapter 6

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Six:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

Azula shivered in her room and pulled her knees closer to her chest. Huddled in her corner by the window, she sank farther and farther into herself, inconsolable from the force-feeding the day before. She had spent the whole night dreading their approach, tears of terror washing her bony cheeks. She had shaken all through the night, muffling her cries by burying her head in her arms. Now the blue light of the nearing daybreak washed over her, reminding her she was trapped in this world for yet another day.

"Why?" she murmured softly, "Why couldn't they just let me die?"

It had come across her weary mind to disgorge the contents of her recently fed stomach, but she found she couldn't do it. It disgusted her. She would not live in her own filth. And if she rid herself of the nutrition, it was very likely they would strap her down again, and it was unlikely anyone would come to her aid again.

Her rescuer… He had escaped her mind completely during her night of terror. Why had he bothered to help? Why did he try to comfort her? Azula remembered the look he had given her when he realized who she was. It was like he was looking at some feral animal, disgust plain in his eyes. Then why hadn't he run?

_Because he was astounded by what he had done, little Azula._

Azula bit back an exhausted cry of anguish, moaning softly into her arms. They always came when she thought she had escaped them. It was a vicious, never-ending cycle. She could run, but they would hunt her down in the end. She was always inevitably the prey.

_Helping a monster like you, a failure like you! It must have frozen him in disgust! Helping the most hated person in the Firenation, if not the world, would make anyone quiver._

"Leave me alone!" she sobbed, "Go away!"

Cold laughter met her ears.

_Is that the best you can do, little Azula? Can you not make up an order anymore? Just a little whine? A prodigy indeed. You're more like a little child whining for its mother. The only thing different is, your mother has left you, revolted by her own child._

Azula shook her head fiercely.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no…"

_Yes. You know it's true, little Azula._

"…no, no, no, no, no, no…"

_Yes. You cannot hide from the truth. You can only cower at it._

"NO!" she screeched. She bolted up from the corner and made for the door. She stumbled and fell but scrambled back to her feet. Maybe they were right. She might not be able to hide from the truth, but she could try to run from it.

Azula wrenched open the door and threw herself out into the hallway…

…and right into someone standing there.

Azula gave a startled scream and so did the person. They both fell to the ground, and the sound of shattering dishes soon followed. Grimacing in pain, she struggled to her knees. They were coming to get her! Gasping, she pushed herself up to her feet and continued to stumble down the hallway.

She didn't turn to see who she had run into. If she had, she would've seen the same boy who had come to her aid the day before. Only this time, he was covered in porridge and soaked to the skin. For a moment, he tried to understand what had just occurred. Then with a sickening start, he realized the girl he was supposed to be tending to had taken off down the hallway.

"Kala is going to kill me!" he spluttered as he wiped porridge out of his eyes. He stood up and looked at the broken dishes on the ground and the spilt water and food. If he stayed and cleaned it up, Azula would get away. If he went after her, he would most likely get in trouble for the mess. With a sigh, Jet decided that losing the Firelord's sister would be the more severe crime, and spitting porridge from his mouth, he took off after her.

Azula ran. She had to get out. She couldn't stay there any longer! She ran past nurses and doctors, all of which stared at her in shock. She continued running until she came to the Main Wing, the center of the hospital. Azula had been here numerous times, but she didn't know where to go from there. She couldn't remember how she had entered the hospital when she had arrived. Panting wildly, she scanned the room frantically for a way out. Her eye caught the door to the garden. Azula shivered as she knew it had to be winter by now, but she had to get out!

She took a step towards the door when somebody yelled.

"What are you doing here?" a nurse yelled, "You're not supposed to be down here alone!"

Azula turned and saw at least three nurses coming towards her. Quickly, she made for the door, stumbling tiredly as fast as she could. They were still gaining on her.

"Stop!" a woman cried, "You can't go out there!"

_Almost there, almost there, _she thought as she drew nearer and nearer. She was going to make it! She was going to escape! She reached out a hand for the door.

Then someone caught her arm and pulled her back. Hands restrained her. Azula thrashed and kicked, trying to wriggle out of their grasp, but at least three people held her back.

"No!" she yelled, "I need to get out! Let me go! Let me go!"

They ignored her and started talking frantically.

"What's she doing here?"

"I didn't know her door was unlocked…"

"…you think Kala…?"

"No, of course not! But what if she hurt the woman?"

"We should go see…"

They started to carry her down the hall when someone rounded the corner and stopped them. All three of the nurses looked curiously at the newcomer, as he was dripping wet and covered in porridge.

"Thank the spirits!" he cried, clapping his hands in relief and sending bits of porridge all over the walls, "You found her!"

Even Azula stopped struggling to stare at the strange boy in front of her.

All three nurses looked at each other before someone spoke.

"Uh… Jet? Is that you?" the male nurse asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jet smiled, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"Yes, hello, Kobe. Good to see you!" he said cheerfully, "Now if you would let her go, that would be great…"

"What is that?" Kobe interrupted, taking a step back from Jet. "Have you been playing in plaster?" The two other nurses followed his lead and took a few steps back, as if Jet were covered in manure.

Jet looked down at himself and shook his head.

"No, this… This would be Azula's breakfast," he said.

Kobe raised his eyebrows.

"Why are you wearing it?"

His question never got answered. At that moment, Azula started to fight again. She had caught them off guard and had almost managed to break free. In an instant, though, all three nurses had regained their grips on her arms, and it was impossible for her to overpower them. Letting out a screech of rage, Azula allowed herself to fall to the ground, twisting violently against the hands restraining her.

"I do not think she likes that," Jet said thoughtfully, regarding the situation with a somber expression.

Azula looked up at him briefly. This had to be a trap. First a nurse and now this boy? No body was on her side. It had to be a trap. It had to be.

"Really, Jet?" Kobe said sarcastically, struggling with a writhing Azula, "I couldn't tell!" He heaved her to her feet once again. She aimed a kick at his shins, and Kobe stood awkwardly on one leg to avoid it.

Why couldn't they let her go? It was winter. How far could she get? Sooner or later she would succumb to the cold to never wake up again. Then she would be off all of their hands.

Jet shrugged.

"I was just saying," he said, "Where was she heading anyway?"

"To the garden," one of the female nurses said, "She almost succeeded, too."

_Almost doesn't count, _Azula thought miserably to herself. She let herself fall again, but Kobe's strong grip kept her up. She aimed a kick at his other leg, and this time she hit her target.

"Ow!" Kobe exclaimed, dropping her a little, "No wonder she's gone through five nurses."

Five? Azula couldn't remember five different people caring for her. Now that she thought about it, the only nurse she could recall was the one currently caring for her. What was her name? Kala? It didn't matter really. A nurse was a jailer, like the ones holding her now.

"Well, maybe you're hurting her," Jet reasoned.

"Hurting her!" Kobe cried, "Excuse me, but who just got kicked in the shin?"

"If you didn't hold her like that, she'd probably be a lot more pleasant," Jet argued back.

"She'd run away!"

"But she wouldn't be kicking you."

Kobe let out an infuriated sigh, and this time he let Azula sit on her knees. Her bandaged wrists were starting to sting again, and each time she struggled against them the pain got worse. But she couldn't give up. She wouldn't give up.

"Enough of this nonsense!" Kobe said, "What exactly is it that you want, Jet? You want to take her out to the garden yourself?"

"Actually, that was what I had in mind."

Everyone stopped moving. Even Azula stopped thrashing in confusion. This wasn't right. Why would he want to take her outside? It was winter. They would freeze! Of course she wanted to go, but why would someone who was supposed to care for her let her go?

"What?" Jet asked innocently as they all looked at him, "She's probably suffering from cabin fever. The best way to cure that is to let her go outside."

Kobe laughed.

"You're insane, Jet," he hooted, "You let her out of your sight for an instant and she'll be gone."

"Well, that's why I don't plan on letting her out of my sight," Jet replied curtly, "And I'm faster than her in any case."

"Then why did _I _catch her instead of you?" Kobe insisted.

Jet flicked a pit of cold porridge into the nurse's face. Kobe grimaced as the lump hit with a splat, and quickly wiped it off with his shoulder. It was enough for Azula to squirm out of his grip, but the two other nurses still held her fast.

"I was covered in that, and it's hard to run when you're blinded by breakfast food," Jet said. Then in a more sincere tone, he said, "Come on, Kobe. You know I would never do anything that would get Kala thrown out of this hospital. I owe her too much."

Kobe regarded Jet with a scrutinizing gaze for a long moment before sighing and shaking his head.

"Fine. You can take her out to the garden," he said.

Azula couldn't believe it. They were letting her out? She was going to be outside the hospital? Now it had to be a trap. There was no way they would let her out in the middle of winter. Confused, she looked up at Jet, who was smiling gratefully at Kobe.

"Kobe, you are one of the greatest people I have ever met," Jet said, clasping his hands in front of him in thanks.

Kobe rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. But if we have to start a man hunt because you lost her, I will be making sure you clean bedpans for a month. You hear me?" he said, pointing a finger warningly at Jet.

Jet screwed up his face in disgust. Apparently, cleaning bedpans was not the most pleasant thing to do. He nodded his head in response, and with a moment's hesitation, Kobe nodded to the other nurses.

They let Azula down gently. Stunned, she just sat on the floor for a moment, wondering if she was hallucinating. It was possible. Her mind wasn't exactly sane at the current moment.

The other two nurses left, leaving Kobe and Jet alone with her. A moment or two passed before any of them said anything, letting a long silence drift between them.

_This is not real. This can't be real_, Azula thought, rubbing her eyes. It was the sleep deprivation. Yes, that was it. She wasn't actually seeing this. It was a daydream, an almost pleasant daydream.

Jet smiled and held his arms open.

"Kobe, you don't know how much this means to me," he said, moving towards him, "I could just…"

"Do _not_ hug me!" Kobe said, pushing Jet back with the tips of his fingers, "I've had too much experience with unidentified substances in this hospital!" He flicked the cold, slimy porridge off his fingers. "And I'm not doing you anymore fa…"

"One more favor," Jet interjected, "The whole porridge incident happened so fast that I didn't have time to clean it up so…"

Kobe blanched. He looked at the lumpy mess covering Jet and wrinkled his nose.

"Are you sure that's porridge?" he asked, "I've seen quite a few things that look like porridge that aren't since I've been here."

Jet nodded.

"It is. And it is Kala's cooking, too, so I know it's safe."

For a moment, it looked like Kobe was going to refuse. Then he sighed and shook his head tiredly.

"Fine. Where's the mess?"

"The South Wing."

"The South…" Kobe looked like he was about to explode. "You never mop the South Wing! You want me to clean up a mess in the part of the hospital that you never even touch?"

Jet looked at him with pleading eyes. Kobe opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Finally, he rolled his eyes and turned away, muttering something about "stupid cleaning boys".

"Thanks, Kobe," Jet called to him.

Kobe waved it off as he walked down the hallway.

Jet laughed merrily, and finally he turned his attention to Azula, who had been watching the exchange silently. For a moment, he said nothing, as if he didn't know what to do, but then he extended a hand.

"Come on," he said, "You've got a bad case of cabin fever, I bet."

Azula regarded him suspiciously. She didn't trust him. She didn't trust anyone. How did she know that he would actually take her to the garden? Would he just grab her and haul her off back to her room? What would he gain from doing this?

Then she remembered how he had stopped Dr. Lin from feeding her. He was obviously an enemy of the doctor, and any enemy of the doctor was slightly closer to being an ally of hers.

Hesitantly, she reached out and took his hand.

He pulled her to her feet and smiled slightly at her. She didn't smile back. He gestured for her to lead the way with his hand, and Azula took a moment before moving. This still wasn't right. Why would they let her out in the cold winter?

She approached the door slowly, and with a shaking hand, she opened it and stepped outside.

Azula could only stare in confusion at the world around her. It didn't make sense. It wasn't possible. She had to be seeing things or… or she had been there a lot longer than she had thought. It was finally clear why they were not afraid to let her step outside during the winter.

It was not winter at all.

It was spring.

**Author's Notes: If anyone is wondering why I've been updating so fast, it's because of the ice storm hitting the US. We're looking at the 4****th**** day in a row with no school. That means we'll have to extend the end of the school year at least a day to make up for it. And yes, that is where the cabin fever concept came from. I wish I could just walk out and then BOOM! it's spring. Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm jealous of Azula. Well, just about the spring thing. I had a lot of fun writing this part, but I think it might have been a bit too light. Maybe it's the fact we saw sunshine today. I'll try to balance it out in parts to come. As always, thanks for reading, and don't forget to review! Stay warm!**


	7. Chapter 7

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Seven:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

It was really spring.

Azula stood completely still. How could it be spring? It couldn't be. She had come at the end of summer. How could two seasons pass without her knowing? It was impossible! There was no way. She always felt the change of summer to fall and fall to winter. It was the length of the days. All firebenders…

Then she remembered.

Azula's bottom lip trembled as she looked around her. The sun hadn't risen yet. The dew still clung to the grass like little tears. Firelillies were in bloom. The leaves on the trees were coming in; the last of the magnolia petals were falling. It wasn't even early spring. It was nearing summer.

_It's like I've been asleep, _she thought.

Tentatively, she walked down the stone steps to the garden pathway. The stone was cool against her bare feet, but not like the freezing cold she always felt before sunrise. Hugging her arms to her chest, Azula slowly walked along the path, looking at the bright blossoms before her. They were so vibrant, so lively. She wondered if they would burn her if she touched them. They seemed to have fire in their very skin. In their souls. A lump formed in her throat, but she pressed onward, feeling very much lost.

_How can it be? _She wondered. _How is it that I didn't know?_

She passed trees that boasted full canopies of leaves. She trod on silky petals that had fallen from above. She breathed in the fresh scent of air, not knowing that air could taste so differently outside. It was like she was walking in a dream. A still, calm dream that was much too real.

A little further on there was a pond, sitting under the canopy of a weeping willow. Azula dared to step off the path and onto the dewy grass, the hem of her dress soaking up the moisture. Timidly, she approached it, careful not to get to close. Little creatures swam on its surface. Taking a closer look, she saw they were turtleducks. Turtleducks. Like at the palace. Like at her mother's pond. She had never paid it any mind whatsoever. But now she could not take her eyes off the little creatures.

"Cute little things, aren't they?" Jet said behind her.

Azula jumped. She had forgotten he was there. He moved so quietly it was uncanny. Or, she thought after a moment, she wasn't paying attention.

"Kala loves this place," Jet continued, "She comes here and writes to her children. She says she can relate to the mother turtleduck. I don't really see how, but I won't question it."

Azula said nothing. She watched as one turtleduck pecked at its mother until the mother swam away to get some relief. The little creature quacked and turned to one of its siblings, carrying on its pesky behavior. The cycle continued as each fell victim to the little thing's poking. One by one, the siblings joined the mother until the obnoxious little turtleduck was all by itself.

For some reason, the sight bothered her, and Azula turned away from the pond without a word.

_What's the matter? They're only animals, _she chided herself. But even so, she did not look back to see the fate of the lonely turtleduck.

They continued on their silent journey when Jet tapped her on the shoulder.

"Look," he said, pointing toward the east, "Sunrise."

Azula's heart raced. Sure enough, a golden light filtered through the trees. How long had it been since she had felt the sun's rays on her? Suddenly, driven by compulsion, she took off into the trees.

"Azula, wait!" Jet called after her.

She ignored him. She wanted to see it. She wanted to see the sunrise. She had to get to the end of the trees so she could see it clearly. Pounding on through the shady grove, she panted but kept up her brutal pace.

_I have to see it! I have to see it!_

Jet's cries followed her, but she did not slow down. If she did not hurry, she would miss it! She couldn't slow down.

Finally, the trees grew thinner. Azula wheezed as she grew closer to end of the grove, yearning for the touch of sunlight on her skin. She was almost there. She was so close.

When she broke through the trees at last, she froze. In front of her was a stone wall at least ten feet high, blocking the view of the rising sun. With a sinking heart, Azula approached it. No, this couldn't be. This couldn't happen. She was so close! Why was there always something blocking her way. Pressing a hand against the cruel stone, she scowled as tears started to blur her vision.

"Why?" she whispered, her lips trembling.

"There you are!"

Azula turned to see Jet finally breaking through the trees. Panting slightly, he walked up to her, hands on his hips.

"I was sure I'd be cleaning bedpans. Thank the spirits you're…" his voice drifted off as he noticed the tears on her cheeks.

Azula turned away quickly, wiping the tears from her face. He wouldn't understand. Nobody understood her. She was as alone as ever, facing another obstacle she couldn't surmount.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently, reaching out a hand. As if he remembered her reaction to people touching her, he stopped himself at the last second. "What's wrong, Azula?"

Azula looked at him, golden eyes shining with tears.

"The sun," she said very quietly, "I can't see the sunrise."

Understanding flooded across his features. Stepping back, Jet looked at the wall in front of them, looking at it as if he was seeing it for the first time. With a sigh he shook his head. "That's why you were running," he said sadly.

"I was so close," she whispered, "I thought I would…" her voice faded, and she rested her arm against the wall. Squeezing her eyes to stop the flow of tears, Azula wished she could just blast the wall down. If only… But things had changed.

Suddenly, Jet sighed determinedly behind her. Approaching her, he said, "Can I trust you?"

Azula turned, startled. Could he trust her? She had never been asked that before. No one trusted her, so no one ever bothered to ask. But this boy was looking at her with sincere eyes. He was asking an honest question.

And for some reason, she wanted to fulfill that wish behind his eyes. With slight hesitation, she nodded.

Jet nodded and looked at the wall, measuring it with his eyes. Nodding to himself, he turned back to her with a slight smile.

"If I can lift you so you can reach the top, could you pull yourself up?" he asked, rolling up his sleeves.

Azula realized what he was saying and nodded. She would use up all the strength she had just to see the sunrise, to feel its warmth on her skin. The thought of it gave her willpower. She would see over the wall.

Jet sighed and nodded.

"Okay, but promise me you will not jump down to the other side. There's no one on the other side to catch you, and you could get hurt. And they would never let you back out here again, not to mention Kala and I would be thrown out," he said.

Azula nodded.

Jet looked at her with a piercing gaze.

"Promise?"

Azula swallowed.

"I promise," she said hoarsely.

Jet sighed.

"Good," he said, interlocking his fingers to form a step, "Step up."

Placing a hand on the wall for support, Azula placed a foot in his hands. Wobbling unsteadily, she placed her other hand on his shoulder. Jet looked up suddenly, and their eyes met for a moment. Azula looked away quickly, not understanding why her cheeks felt so warm suddenly.

"Alright. On three," Jet said, "One, two, three!"

At that, he lifted her up into the air. Reaching desperately, Azula scraped her hands along the wall, trying to find a grip. Suddenly, the ledge was in her grasp. Gritting her teeth, she pulled with all her might. She felt Jet push both of her feet to help her. Finally, she rested her arms on the wall and swung her leg up. Panting from the effort, Azula sat with her legs hanging over the other side of the wall. She had done it. She was there.

"What's it like up there?" Jet called from his place on the ground.

Azula looked in front of her, and her breath caught in her throat. The sun peaked over the horizon, casting a glow to everything it touched. Clouds of various shades of pink and blue swirled around like a magnificent painting. It hurt her eyes, but she could not look away. She could almost feel her inner flame again as the rays danced across her pale skin. The warmth that surrounded her was more than she had felt since she had come to the hospital. It was like she could… Oh, but she couldn't.

"Azula?" Jet called from below.

Azula blinked and found tears running down her face, though she knew not why as she was considerable happy. After swallowing a few times, she answered him.

"Warm," she said, "Warm and bright."

After several minutes when the sun had cleared the horizon, Jet called to her once again to come down. As she got ready to descend from the wall, she glanced to the other side. It was far, yes, probably too far to jump. But if she did it just right, she could get away with just a sprained ankle, maybe. These thoughts ran through her head at lightning speed, and soon she had forgotten her promise to Jet. She would be free, away from this place. She could run away.

_I could escape, _she thought, biting her lip as she judged the distance. _All I have to do is jump. _

"Azula!" Jet called, this time sounding worried.

His shout broke her from her thoughts, and she shook her head. Not today. He was right. She wouldn't get far anyway. With a disappointed sigh, she turned back to the other side where he was waiting.

_Perhaps another day, _she couldn't help but thinking as she jumped back down. For a moment, she was afraid he'd miss her and she'd hit the ground. But a moment later, she was in his arms. He held her as if she weighed nothing, and Azula couldn't help but feel like a child being cradled in his arms. Gently, he set her down, smiling slightly at her.

She almost, almost, smiled back.

As they walked back through the trees, they were silent. She had nothing to say. And even if she did, who would listen? He might have helped her up a wall, but that meant nothing. He probably just did it to keep her from running off again.

"You look like you just witnessed a miracle," he said suddenly, startling her, "Do all firebenders see the sun that way?"

Azula froze. No, he couldn't know. She hugged her arms around her chest. Nobody could know. Nobody!

Jet frowned as she stopped. He looked at her curiously.

"What's wrong?" he asked, "Was it something I said?"  
She shook her head.

"I can't say. I can't say," she said quickly, shaking her head fiercely.

_What's the matter, little Azula? Afraid to let him know your secret? _

"No, no, no, no, no…" she murmured, pressing her hands to her ears. Why were they here? Why now? She couldn't. She wouldn't.

Jet looked concerned.

"Azula, what's wrong?" he said, "What can't you say?"

_Tell him, little Azula. Tell him. He'll only laugh at you for being a pitiful failure. Why don't you tell him?_

"No! I will not tell him! I will not! I will not!" she yelled, pulling at her hair. She sank to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth nervously. She couldn't say. She couldn't say.

"Azula!" Jet cried, falling to her side.

_He sees you as a little child, keeping a secret like a baby._

"No!" she shouted, "Leave me alone, you demons!"

"Azula, who are you talking to?" Jet said, grabbing her by the shoulders, "I'm the only one here!"

_Are you hallucinating, little Azula? Have you gone crazy? Oh, wait. You already are._

A blood-chilling scream escaped her lips, tearing at her already raw throat. She struggled and tried to break away from him. She thrashed and screamed, kicking at him like a wild animal. She had to get away! She had to get away!

"Azula, stop!" he exclaimed, avoiding a kick to the stomach just barely, "Please, who are you talking to?"

"Make them leave!" she screeched, "Make them leave!"

_Crazy little Azula. Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy…_

She clamped her hands to her ears, trying to block them out. As always, though, they were in her mind. No matter what she did, she could not silence them.

_...crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy…_

"Make them leave," she whimpered hopelessly, "Make them go away."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Jet shouted suddenly.

It was silent. The voices were gone. They had left like he had told them to. Azula trembled and removed her hands from her ears. They were gone. They had left. Maybe not forever but they were gone now.

"Th…they're gone," she stammered shakily. "They're gone."

She shook all over, trembling and freezing cold. Suddenly she was crying, tears flowing wildly down her face. Burying her face in her knees, Azula let the wracking sobs shake her. They were gone now, but they would be back. They always came back. There was nothing she could do about it.

She felt a warm arm around her and then another one. Azula for once let herself be held and turned her face into his chest. He rocked her back and forth gently, strong arms reaching around her frail frame easily.

"What haunts you?" he whispered, "What does this to you?"

She took a shaky breath.

"Voices," she said softly, "Voices."

Jet was silent. He went on holding her until her tears had ceased and her breathing had returned to its normal rhythm. Then he held her at arm's length and looked her in the eye.

"What was it that you could not tell me?" he asked, "Whatever it was, they used it against you. The longer you hold it within you, the more power they have."

Azula bit her lip. He was right, but she couldn't tell him. She couldn't let anyone know. If the truth was out…

"Azula, whatever it is just tell me. Don't let them have the power! Take control!" he said.

Take control? Could she do that? Did she have control of anything? There were always people holding her back, doctors forcing her to eat, walls blocking her from the sun. And he had helped her overcome all of those things. Could he help her take control?

She took a deep breath.

"I… I can't…" she said hesitantly.

Jet nodded encouragingly.

"You can't…?" he said.

Azula squeezed her eyes shut.

"I can't firebend anymore," she said, letting it flow out of her like water, "Ever since the Agni Kai… It's like the fire inside of me won't burn. I can't feel it. I can't feel the sun. I feel it on the outside, not on the inside like all firebenders do. I can't feel the seasons change. I can't…" Her voice faded off, and she buried her face in her hands. There. She said it. They would all know now. They would all look at her and see a weakling, the failure that she was. They would all scowl at her and say what a miserable creature she was. They would laugh at her like the voices in her head.

"That's it?" Jet asked, taking her hands from her face, "That's all you're worried about?"

Azula looked up. He was talking as if it were nothing. It was her bending! It was a part of her!

"But it's not nothing!" she exclaimed, "I used to be…"

"I know what you used to be, Azula. But things change. Trust me, people can change. I've heard of benders that stopped bending for years after a drastic change in their lives. Kala's daughter…" he stopped suddenly.

Azula didn't pry. She remained silent as she mulled over his words. People could change. Yes, but she couldn't. She would always be Azula, Princess of the Firenation. People would always look at her and hate her, and there was nothing she could do about that.

Jet sighed and stood up, pulling her to her feet.

"I think it's time we go in," he said, "Kala's probably worried about you."

They walked back in silence. Azula didn't know it then, but telling him that one little secret would be the starting battle of a whole new war.

**Author's Notes: Sooo… Fourth update this week. Pretty good for me. Unfortunately though, I'm not going to update anymore for two weeks. My wrists hurt so bad from all this typing (I don't have carpal tunnel, but I have had wrist problems in the past. Nothing serious, but I do have to be careful). **

**Anyway, I liked this part. It had some Jetzula stuff in there. Which reminds me, to LifeTimesWorth, your review made me laugh (good laugh, I might add). Yes, yes, I promise you I will finish this story, and there will be plenty of Jetzula stuff in it. So don't work yourself into a tizzy. Thanks everyone else for reading and those of you who reviewed. I love it when I find a review. It's like… I don't know… You know how it feels when that kid you've like since 3****rd**** grade gives you a card on Valentine's Day? It's like that. Thanks again!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Loose Ends**

**By bricksailor93**

**Part Eight:**

_**I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

**A Quick Note:**

**If anyone out there is still reading this, I have to say I am sorry for such a long wait. I said two weeks and it turned out to be about two months. I have promised to finish this story, and I plan to be true to my word. Unfortunately, life sometimes gets in the way of things we want to do. Again, I apologize, and hope you will stick around until the end of this story!**

"She's still not speaking," Jet said, shutting the door behind him softly as he stepped into Kala's room. He ran his calloused fingers through his messy brown hair before sliding down the door until he was sitting on the floor. His eyes shut on their own accord, his head resting on the solid wood behind him. An exhausted, weary sigh escaped him.

Spirits, this was harder than he thought it would be.

It had been three days since Azula's fit in the garden. Three days since she had admitted she couldn't bend fire. It had been three days since he thought they were making progress. Now, the only thing that was progressing was the intensity of the glares she shot him whenever he brought her food.

He was angry at himself, and he knew Kala knew it. Azula was fighting a war of her own, and he was determined to win. But how could he help her win the battle when she said nothing to him? She wasn't even rambling to her demons or whatever they were. Perhaps he shouldn't have allowed her so much freedom in the garden. Maybe it had undone her. Perhaps he had just hurt her more by making her confess her secret. It seemed they had taken a step forward only to take about five steps backward.

As if she could read his thoughts, Kala spoke up at that moment.

"You're being too hard on yourself," she said gently from where she sat in her chair in the corner, "She's just admitted something that she would have never told anyone to save her life."

Jet cringed. If Kala realized the irony in her words, she made no sign of it. Azula wouldn't do anything to save her life. She would do anything to end it.

"You've fought in war before, Jet, but this is a different kind of war," Kala continued, "It may be for much of it you will be standing off to the side, just watching."

Jet opened his eyes and stared at her. Kala's lips curled up in a knowing smile as she continued to sew with quick, precise motions. Mending another piece of clothing, he realized. Everything they owned had to be used until it fell apart, and even then they had to salvage what they could. They had no money for new clothes. They were live-ins at the hospital, and whatever pay they received went mostly to the rent.

Absentmindedly, he fingered the edge of the sleeve of his worn, discolored work clothes. For a moment, he remembered the asymmetrical attire that he had worn back during his Freedom Fighter days. Not that he was one to mourn the loss of clothing, but they had been good for fighting and climbing through the trees. His new clothes were pale and soft in contrast. He wondered what became of his clothes, remembering he had been wearing new clothes when he came to.

_"Where am I?"_

"_You're in a safe place. You should rest. You need your strength."_

"_My friends…Where are they?"_

"_They had to leave, for their sakes and yours."_

"_Did they say where they were going?"_

"_No, I'm afraid not. They were being followed."_

"_They just left me here?"_

"_None of us thought you would survive. We promised to give you a proper burial. They would have never left if they had known you were going to live."_

The words still rang in his mind as if it were yesterday. After that he had asked Kala countless numbers of questions about his friends, but she could only tell him so much. They hadn't wanted to leave, she had told him, and the little one had screamed and had to be carried out by the one with the bow.

Smellerbee and Longshot. The last of his Freedom Fighter family. They were gone. He didn't feel betrayed or abandoned; he didn't blame them in the slightest. They had done what was necessary to survive. He had told them to do so moments before he had blacked out. But the feeling he had felt when he had lost his family to the Firenation so many years ago had ripped him open once again to fill him with an emptiness that he thought he had at last filled.

"In any case, she hasn't gotten any worse," Kala said, bringing him back from his thoughts, "Though she'll have to eat soon. I don't think she'll be able to take another force-feeding."

She broke the thread with her teeth and placed her needle in its case carefully before admiring her handiwork. Jet's eyes were drawn to the object of her mending. It was a dress, too small for the nurse's sturdy frame. Made of soft green and yellow silk, it was embroidered with red and orange swirling patterns running up the sleeves and along the hems. Jet had seen that dress only once before when the woman had opened her small trunk of prized possessions. Swallowing hard, he realized what Kala was holding.

"Su Ling's dress," he murmured softly, seeing the soft look in Kala's eyes as she folded it on her lap. Su Ling had been Kala's daughter. She had been killed in a Firenation raid several years ago, Kala had told him. The only things that the woman had left of her daughter were her dress and a small, delicate glass flower that Su Ling had once given her as a gift.

A quiet, reminiscent sigh escaped her lips as Kala smoothed the priceless fabric with the palm of her hand. She handled the gown with such reverence one might have thought it was made of gold. A careful finger traced the maze of red and orange patterns delicately with the precision of a surgeon. Her blue eyes were glazed over with a glassy look that told Jet she was somewhere far away.

"She loved this dress," she whispered softly, a sad smile forming on her lips, "I remember when I gave it to her. She said she felt like a princess. Like a queen even." Her voice was soft and smooth, gentle to the ears. Jet didn't dare utter a word and pretended not to notice the shininess that came into her eyes. For several moments, neither of them said a word. Wondering if he should leave her alone, Jet contemplated slipping out while she was in such a deep state of thought. Then Kala sighed once more and picked up the beautiful garment and placed it in her trunk.

"I think it's about time I did my rounds," Kala said, wiping her eyes quickly, "Azula probably needs to be checked on." She stood and stretched her arms, the sad look in her eyes being replaced quickly by a cheery, bright smile. It amazed him how fast she could pull herself together for the sake of others.

Jet nodded his head and stood up to get out of her way. He shifted his feet nervously, eyes trained on the floor. He felt like he should say something. What should he say? He had never been good at giving comfort to others. But Kala was like family. He should be able to say something to her of all people. As she passed him, Jet swallowed and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, hoping he had said the right thing.  
Kala smiled sadly at him.

"Thank you, Jet," she said, placing her hand on top of his, "The hardest part of any war is moving on after it is over."

Before he had the time to ask her what she meant by that, she patted his hand once then left the room, leaving him in the doorway. He watched her walk down the hallway, his mind pondering her words.

When she turned the corner, Jet bit his lip and sighed. For some reason, he had a feeling she wasn't talking only about her daughter.

A knock on Azula's door made her look up from her blank gaze on the floor. She considered yelling, telling whoever it was to go away, but she was tired and felt nauseated. Every part of her felt raw and sore, aching constantly. Her head throbbed worse than it had before, and every movement made her feel sick.

_I shouldn't have told him. I shouldn't have told him. I shouldn't have told him._

She repeated the words over and over in her head, feeling sicker and sicker with each repetition. She felt… regretful. It was a new feeling. Before, regret never occurred to her. She did what she did and never worried about her actions. She never had to pay for them. But this feeling… It ate her up. Sure, she knew what failure felt like. She knew disappointment, but regret? When did she ever regret something she did?

Never, until now.

Another knock snatched her back to reality, this time louder and more forceful. The rapping rang in her ears, like a bell tolling endlessly over and over. Azula covered her ears with her hands, shutting her eyes against the pounding and incessant ringing.

"Stop… knocking…" she moaned, her head spinning. Her own words joined the echoing din of pounding. Lights flashed before her eyes, and her stomach flipped. Her mouth had a bad taste and was as dry as a desert. The pain was amounting to an almost unbearable level. She almost considered lying down on the bed, but she wouldn't take the risk of falling asleep. But even then, she wondered if the sickness was worth not taking the risk.

"Azula?" a familiar voice said, sounding concerned as always, "I'm coming in unless you tell me otherwise."

Azula only managed a groan. Even if she had wanted to tell the nurse otherwise, she couldn't have managed it. She clenched her teeth against the agonizing pounding, her breathing becoming more ragged.

_I shouldn't have told him. I shouldn't have. I shouldn't have._

Her nurse walked in, closing the door behind her carefully. Even the slight sound of her footsteps made Azula cringe. Azula looked up at her for a brief moment before looking back down to the floor. Her vision swam. She blinked her eyes forcefully, but it did nothing to clear her vision. Chills ran up her spine, making her flesh prickle with goosebumps. She felt herself swaying slightly, as if her balance was failing her.

"Azula, you are very pale," the nurse said, kneeling down beside her, "Will you let me look at you briefly?"

Gasping at the din of the words, Azula managed to nod weakly before her head spun and she collapsed on the floor. The impact left her breathless, and the sounds made her sick. Her vision was spotted with colors and lights, and her stomach twisted sickeningly. The pounding in her head increased ten-fold, and she tasted bile in her throat.

"Azula!" The yell echoed raucously in her ears.

Barely even aware of the woman beside her, Azula moaned and rested her forehead on the cool floor, trying to ease the pounding. This wasn't the way she wanted to die. She had wanted sickness to take her, but not this way. Not with pain and throbbing aches. Not with the raw soreness she felt all over. She had just wanted to close her eyes and drift away. She hadn't wanted sickness to sweep over her like a scavenger bird, picking her apart, bit by bit, shrieking its grating, unearthly caws of success.

Someone lifted her off the floor. Her eyes were rolling back into her head on their own. The softness of a bed beneath her meant nothing. The risk of falling asleep seemed irrelevant and far away. The throbbing increased even more, and she grabbed the hand of person holding her, holding it tight with surprising strength. Her stomach heaved, and she turned and retched over the side of the bed. Hardly anything was in her stomach, but the motion left her shaking. The horrible taste in her mouth was disgusting. She wanted to be rid of it. Gasping desperately, she pulled the person closer.

"Water," she murmured, saying the word she had feared for months. At least water was numbing, and took away pain, for the most part. Only ice stabbed unmercifully.

She let go of the hand as her stomach heaved again. This time her stomach was empty of its contents. It made her gag and left her breathless, throat raw and dry. She coughed and sputtered, wincing as she laid her head back against the soft pillow. Her breath came in heavy, labored pants. Someone tilted her head up gently and pressed a cool glass to her lips.

"Drink."

So she did. The cool, fresh water tasted wonderful. It cooled her raw throat and took the horrid taste from her mouth. She found herself gulping it down, like she couldn't get enough of it. When the glass was empty, she sucked the few remaining drops into her mouth before they could be pulled away.

"More," she called softly, falling back onto the pillow. Moments later, the hands tipped her head back up and pressed the glass to her mouth. She drained the glass and another two before she finally asked for no more.

Cold chills ran up her body, shaking her until her teeth chattered. She started sweating, despite the cold, and within seconds she was cold and clammy all over.

Someone pressed a damp rag against her head, feeling her wrist for a pulse. They draped a blanket over her, putting a stop to the shivers that racked her frail body. The warmth relaxed her, and for a moment, she stopped fighting.

"Wait here, Azula. Don't move," the voice said, "I'll be right back." The sound of a door opening and footsteps fading resounded in her mind.

In all truth, Azula couldn't tell whether someone was in the room with her or not. She just focused on breathing. She had been told once that the power of firebending came from the breath. If she could keep breathing, perhaps she could fight the sickness.

She breathed in and she breathed out. She breathed in and she breathed out.

For several minutes she concentrated on just breathing. Each time she felt like it took more effort, but it was worth it. She started to feel warm. All she had to do was keep breathing. The pounding started to fade, not much but enough to notice. The shaking ceased.

_I'm healing. _

Where the thought came from she did not know. It seemed absurd to her that she would be getting better. She had no hopes of ever regaining her strength completely or returning to the life she once had. To think that she was healing… Well, that was preposterous. But for some reason, she could not condemn the words in her mind false.

"Azula?" a new voice said, making her flinch in surprise.

It was not the voice of her nurse. It was the boy. The one who had taken her outside. The one who had taken her to the wall. She opened her eyes to glance at him weakly. He towered over the side of her bed, something like concern in his eyes. Concern for what? He couldn't possibly be concerned for her.

"Spirits above," he murmured, pressing a hand to her cheek pale, clammy cheek. He knelt by the side of her bed, regarding her with an unreadable face. Taking the damp cloth from her forehead, he wiped her face almost tentatively, as if he was unsure he was doing the right thing.

She kept breathing like she had done before. Her eyes drifted closed again. The darkness was so calming. Like a soft blanket. The rhythm of her breathing soon became monotonous and hypnotic, luring her to the realm of sleep, one she had not visited for a long time. She was so tired…

"No!" she gasped as she sat up, forcing her eyes open. Her head pounded, and she groaned, her head spinning with sickening speed. Her rhythmic breathing grew ragged and uneven. Her stomach twisted again, and her vision blurred.

She fell back onto the pillow, unable to hold herself up.

"I can't sleep…" she moaned, "They'll find me…"

"Shhh…" he hushed her, laying a cool hand on her forehead, "Sleep now. You need your strength." He stroked her head gently, making the pounding in her head fade slightly. Against her will, her eyes drifted closed again.

"They'll come…" she murmured, furrowing her brow beneath his hand. She tried to force herself back up, but she found she couldn't.

"No, they won't," he whispered softly in reply, "I'll keep you safe."

"Safe…" she breathed, liking the way the word rolled off her tongue. She didn't question his promise, partly because she was exhausted to the core and partly because she wanted it to be true.

She remembered a distant moment, one that she had almost forgotten, back before her father had trained her to be what she was. She was in her mother's arms, safe and sound, her soft voice lulling her to sleep. She couldn't decipher the words; they were so far gone. All she could remember was the soft, protective voice that eased her fears and guarded her into the night. Had it really happened? Had her mother really loved her, and thought of her as something other than a monster? Perhaps it was only her delusional mind. Perhaps, but for some reason she didn't believe it.

Jet began to hum a soft melody. One foreign to her, but soft and soothing. Its dark and low tune spoke of a sad story, one she could relate to. She drifted off slowly, falling steadily into the soothing black cloud that she had evaded for so long.

"Safe…" she murmured one last time.

"Yes, Azula," he murmured in a low voice, "Safe."

But Azula didn't hear him. She had at last given into that need to sleep, breathing softly and calmly. She fell into the deepest realm of sleep, his melody singing to her as she dreamed.

Jet sighed.

To say he felt confused would be an understatement. At that moment, he felt so many different feelings that he hardly knew what to think.

_You'll drive yourself to insanity_, he told himself. _ Don't get tangled up in this. _

Tangled, that was a good word for it.

If someone had told him two years ago that he'd be helping the Firenation Princess, he would have knocked them out cold. Now, as he watched Azula sleep, he had to wonder what he had gotten himself into.

"What war are we fighting here?" he said to no one in particular, "And what are we fighting for?"

As always, he received no answer to his questions.

He told himself it was for Kala. His debt to the woman could probably never be repaid, and whatever he had to do to keep her from losing her job he would do it. But he could have walked out of that room when he had seen who Azula was. That day when he assaulted Dr. Lin and the nurses could have been as far as it went. But when he had looked at her, he just couldn't see the monster everyone had claimed she was.

She had looked horrible, there was no denying that. Never before had he seen such wild-looking tangles of hair, and her bones were prominent in her features, like he imagined when he thought of a corpse. Her eyes could have been dipped in red paint, they were so swollen and red, and her skin was ashen. There were bandages on her arms, from what he didn't know, and the shadows in her face were unsettling.

But when she had looked up at him, he had seen her eyes. Gold eyes of the royal family. He had once been told that to look in the Fire Princess's eyes was like jumping into an ice-covered lake. They were supposed to be cold, unfeeling, and hard, just like some kind of monster.

They hadn't been any of those things. All he could see in her eyes was pain and sorrow, despair and loneliness. None of those things were supposed to be in the eyes of a monster, in his opinion. So why, if he was looking at one of the most hated monsters alive, could he see them as plain as daylight when he looked at her?

_Maybe I'm just dumb, _he thought to himself. With a snort, he decided that was a possibility he couldn't rule out.

When his legs started to protest against kneeling on the ground, Jet stood up and relocated himself to the chair in the corner of the room. It was pointed towards the window, which had an excellent view of the west. It was a perfect spot to watch a sunset.

_"I can't see the sunrise."_

Now he understood why Azula had taken off that day in the garden. She had probably watched a sunset everyday that she had been in the hospital, but never a sunrise. He never thought it would be that important, but who knew what went on in her mind?

He turned the chair so he could watch the sleeping girl, in case she woke and tried to make a mad dash for the door. A twinge of guilt ran through him, as he felt more like a guard than a…

Than a what? What was he? He wasn't a nurse. He wasn't a doctor. He was a cleaning boy. What relation did a cleaning boy have to mentally-deranged royalty? He bit his lip as he thought about it. Could he be a friend? Almost as soon as the thought passed through his head, he scoffed at it and pushed it away. No, he could hardly be considered a friend. He had been fighting the Firenation all of his life. How could he be friends with the daughter of the Firelord who had been responsible for so much bloodshed? And Azula's conscience was not exactly the clearest thing around either.

His reminiscing was cut short when Kala, Dr. Lin, Kobe, and two other nurses burst into the room. Kala led the group, looking concerned but contained. Dr. Lin followed with his hair messed up and his clothes disheveled. Kobe and the other nurses looked worried, Kobe not as much as the other two for he was trying to fix Jet with a death glare. Almost as soon as the group entered the room, they froze, looking with shock at the sleeping Azula.

"Is she really… sleeping?" Dr. Lin said uncertainly, leaning side to side to get a look at her, as if he would wake her if he moved from where he was standing. His eyes were wide in disbelief, and his mouth hung open slightly, making him look as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Well, if she isn't asleep, she's doing a pretty good job of pretending," Kobe said, leaning around the doctor to get a better look. "Looks like she crashed pretty good. I'd bet she'll sleep for a good day and a half at this rate. Never thought it would happen. She's always up. You know, I had a cousin like that. He would be up for weeks at a time and then BOOM! He'd just fall over in such a deep sleep you'd think he was dead! It was quite…"

"Quiet, Kobe!" Kala hushed, frowning slightly at the young nurse. Her penetrating blue eyes were enough to silence the talkative Kobe, a feat that Jet considered commendable.

Carefully and quietly, Kala walked to the edge of the bed, looking at her sleeping patient with a scrutinizing gaze. She picked up her hand gently and let it drop back to the bed. Azula didn't move. Kala felt for her pulse and nodded approvingly.

"She's alive, and she's asleep," she said, looking back over at the doctor, who was still standing in the same spot, "And she finished four glasses of water when I was in here earlier."

It seemed everyone in the room except Kala raised their eyebrows in surprise. Dr. Lin looked speechless. Kobe looked like he had plenty to say, but from the way he glanced at Kala, Jet knew he wouldn't make a sound while she was still in the room.

"I'm surprised she actually fell asleep without a fight," Kala remarked, looking over the sleeping girl, "Perhaps it was whatever ailed her. Sickness wears people out."

"She went to sleep really quickly," Jet said, earning him questioning looks from all in the room. When Kala raised a questioning eyebrow that demanded further information, he sighed and shook his head. "I didn't really do anything. She was talking about someone coming for her. I think she meant…"

Kala shook her head fiercely, her meaning clear.

_Don't tell them about the voices!_

"…possibly the doctor and nurses," he said quickly, hoping the lie wasn't transparent. Kala scratched her ear when Dr. Lin looked at her curiously for shaking her head.

"The biters are coming out early this year," she said with a short smile.

Dr. Lin frowned but didn't say anything, and Kala nodded for Jet to continue.

With a sigh, Jet told them the rest.

"I told her I'd keep her safe, and that was that. She fell asleep," he said, shrugging his shoulders, "She's been asleep since."

Kala smiled widely.

"Isn't that wonderful, Dr. Lin?" she said cheerfully, "We've made much progress in less than a week!"

The doctor fixed his half-moon spectacles and cleared his throat, looking quite at odds as to what to say.

"Well, now, that's… very good news, I suppose," he managed to say, "But, what of this… sickness that you say has stricken her?"

"Pardon me for saying so, Dr. Lin, sir, but not sleeping for extended periods of time does take a toll on people," Kobe interjected before Kala could speak, "My cousin, the one I was telling you about, every time something came around, he'd get it. Even a little cold! I tell you, we couldn't take him anywhere! Every vacation, he'd come back sicker than a dog…"

"Kobe!" Jet hissed through his teeth, darting his eyes at Kala.

Kobe looked at the nurse, who was glaring daggers at him, and swallowed, turning pale with fear. It was all Jet could do not to laugh, and in a less serious situation, he might have actually made a joke of it.

"Forgive me, Nurse Kala," Kobe choked out, "My tongue ran away again."

"Faster than an ostrich-horse," Kala muttered, shaking her head. Sighing, she turned back to Dr. Lin. "Actually, what Kobe says is true. A lack of sleep could make her more susceptible to illness. Perhaps she merely has to sleep it off."

Dr. Lin frowned, pondering her words. After a long moment of silence, he sighed. With a shake of his head, he straightened the sleeves of his robes.

"Let her sleep," he said, glancing at his unusually quiet patient, "If she sleeps for three days, that's three days she's not screaming."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out the door. The two nurses followed him, leaving Jet, Kobe, and Kala alone with the sleeping girl. When the door closed behind them, Jet let out a sigh of relief.

"You think she'll really sleep for that long of a time?" he asked Kala, who was straightening the blankets on Azula's bed.

Kala looked at him and shrugged.

"I honestly cannot say. I do not believe this is a normal illness, though," she said, smoothing the hair out of Azula's face. The girl didn't even stir.

Kobe frowned, looking between Kala, Jet, Azula, and back to Kala. He bit his lip to keep himself from asking whatever question was on the tip of his tongue. Jet rolled his eyes and sighed.

"What, Kobe?" he asked tiredly, rubbing his face in his hands. The past few nights had been filled with more chores than sleep. He was starting to feel the effects of an insufficient amount of sleep.

Kobe exhaled, as if he had been holding his breath along with his question.

"What do you mean this isn't a normal illness, Kala? And what was with the whole 'the biters are out early' hogwash? I saw you shake your head! You can't hide much from me! She meant something other than…"

"For the last time, Kobe!" Kala exclaimed, "If you are going to say something, say it and be done!" She shook her head and sat on the edge of the bed, looking tired and aggravated. Jet hardly ever saw the woman bothered by the garrulous nurse, meaning there was something else on Kala's mind.

"What kind of sickness?" Jet prompted, now looking up curiously.

Kala shook her head again and sighed.

"Before I tell you," she said, looking up at Kobe with a look that could curdle milk, "You must know that what is said in this room goes no further than the three of us. If you think your tongue will 'run away' again, I suggest you leave."

Kobe's face grew serious and nodded.

"I understand, Kala," he said quietly. Then quickly, he added, "Are you in trouble?"

Kala laughed, a grim laugh, but it a laugh nonetheless.

"No, but she could be if the wrong people hear," she said, motioning at Azula. Her face was unreadable, but Jet could tell by her voice that she was worried for the princess.

Kobe nodded again and sat in front of the door to block anyone from entering. Despite his talkative habits, Kobe was an attentive and perceptive individual. If there was anyone outside the door listening in, he would hear them coming.

"First, to explain Azula's condition, you must know my daughter, Su Ling," Kala started, "Was a firebender."

Jet perked up. He had no idea that Kala's family had been a fire bending family. He had known that Su Ling had bent an element, but he would have never guessed it to be fire. He had often wondered at Kala's nationality, as she didn't look to be one nation. She had blue eyes like those of the Water Tribe, but flowing black hair found in the Firenation and a build that hinted at an Earth Kingdom background.

"My family is of mixed blood," she said, seeming to read Jet's thoughts, "My great grandfather on my father's side was a full-blooded Water Tribesman, and my great grandmother on my mother's side was full Firenation. The rest of my family was either Earth Kingdom or a mix of Earth Kingdom and one of the two." She paused and smiled. "You can imagine how confusing it can be."

Jet and Kobe frowned and glanced at each other, knowing they were thinking the same thing.

"But, the nations became separated in the war," Kobe said, "I mean, with the whole 'Firenation is evil' thing going on, how did that happen?"

Jet glanced at his friend. Kobe was Firenation, but he talked as if he was of one of the other nations.

_Probably Earth Kingdom, _he thought with a grin. _We get along too well._

Kala smiled and shrugged.

"I don't really know," she said, "My family was made up of mixed blood already. I suppose we had no nationality to claim. We didn't really see the differences. We all hated the war, and that united us, I suppose."

She sighed again, this time growing serious.

"You can imagine how hard it was to keep Su Ling's bending a secret. We didn't want to hide it, but it was dangerous in an Earth Kingdom city," she said, her voice growing soft, "She was proud of it, as she should have been. Then one day, two boys saw her bending behind the house. They… they called her a traitor and…" Kala swallowed and rubbed her eye quickly.

"They did what they would do to any firebender living in their city," Jet finished for her. A lump rose in his throat. He remembered the boy on the boat as they came to Ba Sing Se. He had been a firebender, and Jet had tried to kill him. He felt disgusted at himself as he listened to Kala's story. If that had been him that found Su Ling, would he have done any different? It scared him that he did not know the answer.

Kala nodded and continued her story.

"Su Ling stopped bending. She lost her drive for it. They made her see herself as a dirty, disgusting thing for being able to bend fire. One day, I made her try to bend, but she couldn't. She said she couldn't feel the sun anymore."

"She lost her bending?" Kobe said, aghast, "How does that even happen? Is that even possible? I've never heard of anyone else…"

"You're sitting in the same room as someone who lost their bending," Jet told him.

Kobe looked at him then Kala. Jet shook his head and nodded towards Azula.

"Not us, her," he said.

Kobe opened and closed his mouth several times, speechless. Finally he managed to point at the Fire Princess and choke out a few words.

"She… Fire Princess… prodigy… no bending?" he stuttered, his eyes looking like they were about to pop out of his head.

"Remember what I said about this information staying between us," Kala said, eyeing him with a sharp glance.

Kobe nodded silently.

"That… explains why she has burnt anyone to a crisp yet," he said. He frowned. "We will be able to tell when that comes back on, right? I mean, I don't really want to be in the same building as little Miss Pyromaniac when her fire power is on full blast."

"Kobe!" Jet hissed.

"What? I'm just saying. Firebenders with red and orange flames are bad enough when they get angry. She had blue flames. And based on the last time we met," he paused and rubbed his shin, "I don't think we're the best of acquaintances."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that for a while, Kobe," Kala said, sighing. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at them. "It took Su Ling months to regain her bending. It was only when she was convinced that she had a purpose as a firebender did it return."

Jet and Kobe were silent. If it took Su Ling months to regain her bending in a relatively sane state of mind, how long would it take Azula? And with the voices… Jet sighed. This would be a lot harder than he thought.

"But that still doesn't explain the illness," Kobe said.

Kala shrugged.

"I have heard of something like this before, or at least I've read about it. Sometimes when a person does something that is so against their nature that it changes them, it makes them sick. The symptoms are like those I saw with Azula," she said, glancing at the sleeping girl. "Telling you that she couldn't bend fire might have pushed her over the edge."

"Not that she wasn't already over it," Kobe muttered, earning him a glare from Kala.

"So, Azula's going through this 'life-changing' coma, or whatever you want to call it, but what happens after she wakes up? And how do we know she isn't changing for the worse?" Jet asked. There seemed to be too many risks to this, in his opinion.

Kala sighed.

"We don't know. The voices she's been haunted by could be in her dreams. You said you would protect her, but we both know you can't be there in her mind. Who knows how this will turn out?" The woman sighed. "I just hope she isn't lost to us."

"Wait, voices?" Kobe said, "You mean…"

"That is what I was going to say earlier," Jet said, "It is the voices she is scared of, not the nurses and doctors."

"I don't know. Kala can be sort of scary sometimes," Kobe said, eyeing the woman cautiously.

Both Jet and Kala glared at him.

"I'm kidding!" Kobe exclaimed, frowning and crossing his arms, "Does no one in this hospital have a sense of humor?"

"Not at the moment," Jet said, looking at Azula. She looked almost normal when she was sleeping. It was hard to believe that she had been strapped to a chair, screaming just a few days earlier.

Kala sighed.

"I'm afraid right now everything is out of our hands," she said, "We'll just have to wait it out."

For several minutes, none of them spoke. Kala smoothed the blankets on Azula's bed until there was hardly a wrinkle in them. Kobe pulled at his hair nervously. Jet mused over his own tangled thoughts. For the millionth time, he asked himself how he managed to get himself into such a mess.

Finally, Kala stood and walked to the door.

"We're not needed here. Come, let's go."

"Yes! I hear that cooky's making his specialty tonight! Let's go down early and get some before everyone else!" Kobe said, licking his lips.

Kala stopped and smirked, looking at Kobe in such a way that Jet knew the nurse wouldn't be getting off easy.

"Kobe, Azula did get sick earlier today," Kala said, "And we didn't have time to clean it up. Would you mind?"

Kobe froze and shook his head fiercely.

"No. I do not do unidentified or, in this case, identified substances," he said, "That's why you have our lovely cleaning boy. Make him clean up Miss Mental's mess."

"Our cleaning boy got Miss Mental to sleep without the use of drugs or medicines. He gets the night off," Kala replied evenly, winking at Jet, "That leaves the nurse that can't stop talking about his family history in front of Dr. Lin." With that, she walked out of the room.

"But it was relevant!" Kobe protested.

Jet grinned.

"Mop and bucket are in the closet down the hall," he said, patting Kobe on the shoulder as he followed Kala out of the room, "Have fun. Oh, and I'll save you some food if you mop the South Wing."

Kobe looked like he was ready to kill someone as he walked off to find the cleaning closet.

"I do nothing to deserve this!" he muttered as he turned the corner.

Jet laughed and continued to follow Kala down the hall. Suddenly, he stopped, looking back behind him.

"Coming, Jet?" Kala asked, turning to look at him.

"Yeah, um, I'll be right there. You go on ahead. I, uh, have to show Kobe how to put the mop back when he's done."

Kala looked at him like she didn't believe him, but she continued on down the hall without any further words. Once she was out of sight, Jet hurried back to Azula's room.

He stood in the doorway for a moment, unsure of what to do. Sighing, he stepped inside, trying not to make any sound as he walked to her bedside. Kneeling silently, he took her hand in his.

"I don't know if you can hear me," he whispered to her, "But I wasn't lying. I will keep you safe. Just don't give up before I can keep that promise."

Azula slept on, oblivious to the young man holding her hand.

Sighing, Jet rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand before replacing it on top of her stomach. Quickly, before Kobe returned, he left the room, wondering why on earth he had felt the need to tell the sleeping girl such a thing.

**Author's Notes:**

**To all of you who are still reading despite the fact that I said two weeks and it ended up being two months… You're really awesome. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. This took a whole day to write. And it seems my wrist problems are kicking back in, so I had to take breaks every so often so my hand didn't fall off. I hope it shows (not the hand falling off thing but the time put into it). I've said this a couple of times, but I'll say it again: I will finish this story. It may take me a while (hopefully not) but I will finish it. Anyway, to all of you who have reviewed, thanks! To all of you who have favorited/added an alert/something else that I get an email for (sorry, I'm new here), thanks as well! And to those of you who just read but make no action, hey, you took the time to read, so thanks! With that being said, don't forget to review! And next time, I'll try to be a little more prompt about the update.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Loose Ends**

**By bricksailor93**

**Part Nine:**

_**I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

…

**A quick note:**

**I've been going through some stressful times lately, and this part (all 17,000 plus words of it) is dedicated to those patient readers who have waited too long for this update. And to my friend Kylie. Without her encouragement and support, this part would have never been written. Thanks, Ky!**

…

**The Storm**

Part I

Dreams were not uncommon things to Azula, as most people had dreams. Lately, of course, she had dreamt of rather unsettling things. Most of the time, she was certain she was living in a waking nightmare, but in the end, she always knew whether she was still awake or in a dream.

Until now.

As she lay on the soft, warm grass, Azula wondered where she was and, more importantly, how she had gotten there. The sun danced on her pale skin with golden rays, and a gusty, billowing breeze that smelled of sea salt stirred the tall green blades of grass that surrounded her.

It was definitely not the hospital. She was quite sure of that. For several minutes she didn't move; she just watched the puffy clouds move lazily across a brilliant blue sky. She felt almost like a child again, watching the clouds form shapes before being blown steadily across the sky. With a twinge of something like sadness, she remembered that she had once done such things with her friends and Zuko.

Zuko.

A distant memory found its way to the front of her mind. Yes, her brother had been there with her that day, the day her family had gone to the beach. They had raced around in the grasses, laughing and playing before collapsing amid the sea of tall weeds. They had pointed out shapes in the clouds. The day had seemed so perfect, so happy. It had been back when she and Zuko were...

"No," she said suddenly, standing upright in the middle of her grassy sea. "It was only an illusion. We were never friends, just enemies."

"Is that so?"

Azula nearly tripped over herself as she turned at the sound of her brother's voice. No, it couldn't possibly be him, but there he stood before her. Standing, arms crossed, with an easy smile on his face. His golden eyes held none of the worry she had seen in them the last time she had seen him, just bright joy, like the golden rays of sunshine that shone down on them.

It was indeed Zuko, but for a moment she hardly recognized him. It took her some time to realize what was different about him, but when she did, she couldn't believe she had missed something so obvious.

"Zuko?" she said uncertainly, standing up slowly. A little surprised, she found her legs held none of the weakness she had experienced for the last... well, however long it had been. She felt strong and well, a change that made her wonder if "beauty sleep" did more than she had originally thought.

Her brother nodded.

Focusing her thoughts back on her brother, Azula swallowed and pointed to the left side of his face.

"Why is your scar gone?" she asked.

Yes, his scar was certainly gone. His left eye looked strangely plain without the disfiguring red mark stretching across his face. Only pale, smooth skin remained where the scar had once been, leaving no evidence whatsoever that it had ever been there at all. In fact, any imperfection that she had once seen in him was gone. He seemed to emit a soft glow, but maybe it was a trick of the light.

Zuko frowned and traced his fingers along the left side of his face before shrugging indifferently.

"I'm not really sure," he said as if it made no difference to him whether he wore a permanent mark of shame or not, "But before, when you were talking, you were remembering something. A day at the beach, perhaps? Does this place look at all familiar to you?"

Though she was about to insist that a vanishing scar was more important than where they were, Azula complied and looked around her at the rolling waves of grass. Suddenly, she realized she did recognize it. It was on top of a cliff overlooking the beach. Below them, the sea rolled out to a distant horizon, shining as the sun hit the crests of the waves.

"Is this... Is this Ember Island?" she asked haltingly.

Zuko nodded.

"It is indeed. And now, tell me. Why am I here?" he said, a sly grin forming on his face.

Azula scowled and turned away. She had no desire to play mind games with him.

"Why bother asking me? I have no idea why _I_ am here, let alone you, or how you managed to get rid of that disfigurement!" she snapped, wading away through the knee-high grass, "Perhaps you should leave and find out for yourself! Write me if you do discover a reason!"

Her anger only grew when she heard Zuko laughing. Furious, she whipped back around, ready to replace the scar he had lost with a new one, when she remembered she could not bend. Something fell inside of her, and sighing, she turned away. For once, she could not pretend she was the better of the two of them, for he could still bend and fight. He had proven he was better than her, even if she hadn't let herself admit it before.

Zuko stopped laughing.

"Please, don't go just yet," he said, his voice not as bright as before, but still not as grim as it usually was, "You may not wish to see me, but this is the calm before the storm. It would be a good idea to listen."

Azula glanced over her shoulder curiously.

"What do you mean 'calm before the storm'?" she asked, "There is no storm in sight!"

Zuko's face hardened into a serious expression. With a sigh, he shook his head, sitting down in the tall grasses.

"There is one, and it is approaching fast," he murmured, "I can see it. We have time before it reaches us, but it is coming, just the same."

Azula frowned. She looked out onto the horizon, but the sky was clear for a long as she could see. The only thing that stopped her from accusing her brother of lying was that Zuko was not a very good liar.

"You would know if I was lying, Azula," Zuko said as if he had read her thoughts, "Please, if only for a few minutes, come and talk. It will help you in the long run."

Reluctantly, Azula faced her brother and sat back down a few feet away from him. She scowled, showing that she did not think that anything that he could say would help her. Zuko's face lightened as hers darkened, and he nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you," he said, "As I was saying before, do you have any idea why I am here?"

"To torture me with questions?" Azula spat, not bothering to look at him.

Zuko didn't seem upset.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," he said, "All right, then how about this? You were remembering that day at Ember Island- don't ask me how I know- and here we are at Ember Island. I can't even remember how old we were then, do you? Oh, never mind it's not important. What is important is connecting the dots. When a memory is from so long ago, it starts to blur, especially the people, if we see them often. How they looked then is often replaced by how they look now, except for, of course, obvious details." He pointed to the left side of his face. "We don't even remember ourselves the way we were back then, see?" He pointed to her.

With a frown, Azula brought a hand up to her face she found her hair long and silky, drawn back with a simple ribbon. For the first time, she noticed her clothes were different as well. Instead of her worn hospital gown, she was now wearing fine, but simple, red robes, made of soft silk. On her feet were black slippers, very similar to a pair she had when she was little.

"How is this possible?" she asked, eyes wide with shock, "Are... Are you saying we're in a... a..."

"Memory?" Zuko suggested.

She nodded.

Zuko shrugged.

"Well, in a manner of speaking, yes, but not exactly. We weren't having this conversation that day were we? No, we are in what they call the Place of Refuge, a place that resembles one that is a haven to you. As it is in this situation, a memory is linked to this place, making it even more protecting than any other spot. I prefer to call it the 'Comfort Zone', but for some reason they didn't take to that name."

"The Place of Refuge? What is... Wait, who is 'they'?" she said, looking at him with an eye full of scrutiny. There was something odd about this Zuko. His voice was too light. His eyes were too full of light. The glow to his skin she had noticed earlier seemed more prominent now. Furrowing her brow, she narrowed her eyes at him. "You're not really Zuko. Even if we are enemies, I know my brother."

For a long moment silence hung in the air as her brother's lookalike studied her with bright golden eyes. The intensity of the gaze was so much that Azula couldn't help but look down, unable to hold his stare. Perhaps she shouldn't have said that. Maybe she had made him angry.

Then Not-Zuko gave her an appraising look, the power of his gaze vanishing almost immediately.

"Very wise for one so young," he said, his voice changing now, sounding like it belonged to someone who wasn't completely human, "Not many can spot the illusion."

Azula scowled.

"I have lived a life of illusions," she retorted, "I have learned to spot the lies."

The Not-Zuko shook his head.

"No, not a lie. I appear differently to each person I meet. In this place, there is a sense of safety and comfort. I appear as the person closest to the person I am speaking to. For you, it is your brother, though maybe not at this present time. At some point in your life, he was your closest friend, even if that was very long ago."

Azula opened her mouth to say otherwise, but Not-Zuko held up his hand.

"Please," he said, "The time we have is limited. Would you please hold off your argument until later?"

Azula wanted to say no, but something inside of her told her not to ignore his words. Indignant, she complied, telling herself it was only because her gut was telling her to. But she couldn't help feeling a twinge of curiosity about where she was.

With a nod, she sighed, but decided that if she was to go through… whatever this was, she was going to have a few questions of her own answered.

"Fine, but first, answer my questions. I will not be diving blind into this without knowing who or what put me here. Who is the 'they' you spoke of? And, if you are not Zuko, who are you?"

For a moment, Not-Zuko seemed stumped by her questions. He furrowed his brow and bit his lip, looking quite the thinker. In the end, he threw up his arms and sighed.

"Who are they?" he sighed, shaking his head, "Of course, _that_ had to be the first question you asked me. In truth, I cannot say. It is not that I do not know; it is that I cannot explain. When I say 'they', it is understood. In the higher order of things, I suppose 'they' have names, but I do not know them. Why? is naturally what you would ask me upon hearing that. The answer to this question is also the answer to your second question. I am but a simple spirit, one who lives in your world, the Spirit World, and in between, like this place."

Azula's head spun. A spirit? No, impossible. She, for one, did not believe in spirits. Yes, she knew plenty well that the Avatar was supposedly reincarnated and had connections to the Spirit World, but she didn't believe it. She thought of him as merely a powerful bender of all four elements. Spirits were irrational things. They didn't make sense. So, with that logic, she chose not to believe in them. They were just more lies forced upon her.

Not-Zuko laughed and shook his head.

"Yes, I know perfectly well you don't believe in the existence of spirits, but we do exist," he said, "But that is also not important, as our time is growing closer to the end with each moment." Nervously, he looked out upon the horizon. "Fortunately, it is moving rather slowly, I believe. We might have anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour."

Again, Azula looked out onto the horizon but saw nothing. When she looked back to question the "spirit", he shook his head.

"It is a storm only one of the Spirit World can see," he explained.

"Of course," Azula quipped, "So is everything else around here I suppose."

"Unfortunately, no," sighed Not-Zuko, "That might make things easier."

"But you still haven't answered my question!" Azula said, growing tired of his evasive answers and explanations, "Who are you? A simple spirit? Which spirit would that be exactly?"

Not-Zuko raised his eyebrows.

"Are you sure you want me to change? I appear in this form to help you, and in my true form, I may not provide you with such aide. Are you sure?" he asked again, voice smooth and stern.

Azula sighed.

"You are appearing to me in the form of someone who has caused me pain. He is to blame for my suffering! How could my enemy aid me?" she said, "And in any case, I cannot deal with lies anymore. Everyone is a lie! Would you deny the truth from me?"

His sunbeam eyes fixing her with a searching stare, Not-Zuko shook his head.

"How can you talk in such a way when you have spoken the language of a liar fluently for so many years?" he asked.

The look in his eyes was hard to bear, and she turned her head away quickly. Yes, she had lied. She had lied effortlessly for years upon years. Despite her internal struggle to find a defense, she could not deny the simple truth. How ironic was it that her lies told for her advancement were now holding her back? With a weary sigh she shrugged.

"Because I don't know what other language to speak," she said honestly.

The glint in Not-Zuko's eye softened, and a small, knowing smile played on his lips. The look he gave her seemed to see through her, and Azula fought the urge to fidget under such a powerful gaze.

Suddenly, he sat up and nodded.

"You are beginning to see," he said, still smiling, "A truth for a truth, it seems. Very well. You are sure you would not like me to remain in this form?"

Azula nodded.

"As you wish, then," he said, "It might be wise to close your eyes and turn your head away."

As she turned her head to obey, a very, very bright light emitted from Not-Zuko. Even squeezing her eyes tight against the light did nothing to block it out.

_It is a good thing he warned me, _she thought to herself, _I could have gone blind!_

Wrapping an arm around her face and burying her head in the grass, she waited until she felt the intensity of the light fade around her. Then, lifting her head hesitantly, she turned around.

In place of her brother's look-alike, there was a very graceful woman sitting on the ground. Dressed all in white, her simple off-the-shoulder dress looked more like old, white sheet tied together to make a garment. Her face was shielded by a veil that hung from a very wide rice hat. At first, simple seemed the perfect word to describe her. Any commoner could wear such an outfit. And though her snow-white skin and raven-black hair would be the desire of any woman of the Firenation, she looked almost plain.

Then, as the woman lifted her head, Azula saw what the veil had been hiding. Her skin was decorated with swirling red patterns, much like the emblem of her element, fire. They gave her an air of fierceness that Azula could not describe, and they seemed like flames dancing on her skin. Simple, maybe, but not plain.

The mysterious spirit lifted her lips into a warm, enchanting smile. Her eyes, now a soft but clear light brown, still radiated as if they held the light from the sun.

"Well, Azula, we now see each other in our true lights," she said, "I am the spirit they call the Painted Lady. Now, let us be quick if we are to beat this storm."

…

Despite Azula's resolve not to believe in spirits, it was hard to deny what she saw in front of her. For a moment, all she could do was stare. The bright red markings seemed to draw her eyes to the Lady's face, holding her with a graceful power. When she at last managed to find her voice, Azula only managed a simple question.

"Who… Who are you?" she stammered. As soon as she posed the question, she realized it was a stupid one. The spirit, if that was what she really was, had already told her. But the Lady only smiled briefly, her eyes showing understanding.

"As I said, I am a simple spirit," she said. "In your world, I am a mere river spirit, the guardian of a village. I have been there for ages, long before the village was built. Before that, I was, and still am, a healing spirit. It was for that reason I became the keeper of this place, the Place of Refuge. My sole purpose is to heal, to aid others when they need it the most. Not just after experiencing tragedy, but before as well."

Azula swallowed hard.

"What do you mean, before?"

The Lady's bright eyes clouded, and the smile vanished from her face.

"Ah, the part I always despise," she murmured. The corners of her mouth lifted in an attempt of a reassuring smile, but the seriousness of the situation seeped through. Taking a breath, she began to explain. "This place is named as it is because it is the last stop of refuge before the storm hits. As I said before, it is a place of comfort and safety. After the storm hits, I cannot say what will happen."

Suddenly, Azula felt a fear of the invisible storm starting to grip her on the inside. She shivered, despite the warm sunlight beating down upon her. If the spirit could not help her, what was her purpose here? Didn't she say it was her job to aid those who came here?

"So you can't help me?" Azula said, a little desperately. "Am I going to fail before the storm even hits?"

To her relief, the Lady shook her head.

"No, dear child, I said I do not know what would happen during the storm, not that I will not help you," she said, her eyes sparkling once again.

For a moment, Azula thought she saw her mother's eyes shining at her, but after blinking a few times, the sunshine eyes reappeared. A part of her clenched in disappointment, for reasons she did not know.

_Careful, _she told herself, _she is a master of illusions. Do not fall too deeply into her spell._

Even in this world, she didn't dare place her trust in others.

"Then what do I do?" she asked, "Will you teach me how to defend myself? How to fight in the storm?"

The Lady shook her head.

"No, not the physical fighting that you are thinking of. As for defense, what you will see comes from the deepest part of you, the core of your fears and regrets of the past that impact you now. This makes it very hard to say how to protect you. It will question everything you believe. It will question who you are, Azula," she said in a low voice.

As she listened, Azula had a clear vision of herself, trapped in a dark place, writhing in agony with the sound of the voices ringing in her ears. Her heartbeat sped up, instincts telling her to run from the voices. They were, after all, her greatest fears, weren't they?

"You are thinking of something that may appear to you," the Lady said, "But those tormentors are bred from deeper things, things you may not even know."

"How do you know what tortures me?" Azula snapped. "My mind is my own! I do not appreciate others reading it like a book!"

At her words, the Lady gave her a nod. She held up her hands as if she meant no harm, but Azula didn't trust her still. She lifted her eyes to glare into the Lady's eyes, but her hard expression was wiped away by the shock of what she saw. Her eyes were bright blue, definitely not the eyes she had seen moments ago.

"What is this?" she exclaimed. "Why do your eyes change?" She remembered the fleeting moment when she had thought she had seen her mother's eyes. Now, it did not look like a trick of the light.

"They change to provide you with comfort," the spirit said.

"But why are they blue?" Azula asked in a barely audible whisper. She thought of the eyes of the waterbender, the one who had frozen her in ice. The memory of being frozen, of being unable to move or breathe, sent a jolt of panic through her. The urge to run grew stronger and stronger the longer she looked into the blue orbs.

"You mistake these eyes for those of Katara the waterbender. I am not here to bring you fear, Azula. I would not show you her eyes," the Lady said.

Azula snarled.

"I do not _fear_ her!" she snapped. "She is a peasant, a filthy, slimy mouse that hasn't a drop of honorable blood in her!"

The Lady closed her eyes, hiding the brilliant blues from sight. She seemed rigid, as if Azula's words had affected her in some way. When she opened her mouth to speak, her voice was heavy and dark, not at all warm like it had been.

"I can understand your hate and disgust for Katara, but I will ask you just once not to speak of her like such again. It is because of her that I am here to help you. If it were not for her, this place would still be without a keeper, lost to the realm of mortals. They may only enter if I am here to permit them to."

Then the rigidness left her, and once again, she was filled with sunshine. Azula still felt nothing but hatred for the waterbender, but she kept her mouth shut, afraid that the Lady might choose to harm her rather than help her.

"Now, this time, when I open my eyes, I want you to look into them. Do not be afraid," she said. And so she lifted her lids, like the curtain on a stage. Azula held her breath, expecting to be filled with icy terror as soon as she met the spirit's eyes.

But instead of fear, she felt only relief. This time she saw the difference in the shades of blue. These were darker than the waterbender's. She knew these eyes, the eyes of her nurse, Kala. These eyes had never lied to her. They had only attempted to help her, she realized now. The anger she had felt just a handful of seconds ago now melted into a calm, relaxed feeling. With a deep breath, Azula let go of her fear, and decided to trust the woman, if only for a few minutes.

"What can I do to protect myself?" Azula asked, "Is there nothing I can do?"

The blue eyes were replaced with the brown sun-filled eyes.

"Live," the spirit said, "Do what you must to keep living."

Azula snorted.

"Survival?" she sneered, "If it is a matter of surviving, I have survived greater things than a mere storm."

The Lady shook her head.

"No, you misunderstand. Living is not the same thing as surviving. One can survive without truly living, though it is possible to survive in order to live or live in order to survive," she said.

Azula frowned. What was the difference? This woman was just playing with words, mixing them up in different sentences. For all she was concerned, they meant the same thing.

"I see no difference," she told the spirit, "They could be synonyms; one could replace the other."

The Lady sighed and shook her head again.

"It is a difficult thing to explain," she said. "One difference is what makes it easier to survive and what makes it harder to live. You can survive without love, but you cannot live without it. Love is not the only thing, either. Trust, courage, morals… There are many things that we cannot live without."

Azula scoffed inwardly at such ridiculous ideas, but she said nothing. She still feared what the spirit might do to her.

But the Lady seemed to know.

"You may not believe me now, but one day you will come to understand that what I say is true," she said. "But just remember my words for now. Do not _just _survive. Survive _and _live." The Lady turned and looked out past the horizon. Furrowing her graceful brow, she was silent for a few minutes before speaking.

"It is odd," she murmured, "I have never seen a storm travel in such a way. It changes pace often, stopping then moving faster then moving slower."

Again, Azula found herself looking for the storm, but she still saw nothing. But she did notice the sun. It was dipping lower into the sky, sinking with a trail of blazing orange and pink clouds following it. What must have been hours had passed in what seemed to be several minutes It would soon be dark. Somehow, Azula knew it would be worse to face the arrival of the storm after dark.

"Will it be here before sunset?" she asked nervously. She kept an eye on the sinking sun. Why was it setting so fast? It never set that fast before.

The Lady's face was grim. Her eyes not leaving the invisible storm, she answered.

"I do not think so."

Swallowing, Azula forced herself to breathe calmly. It was just a storm; that was all. She had faced storms before. She had faced hundreds of things worse than storms! This was nothing; anything that this threw at her, she could take.

But then the icy hand of fear started to tighten its hold on her. Deep inside, no matter what she told herself, she knew this was not a normal storm. Hugging her knees to her chest to keep herself from trembling, Azula wondered what was waiting for her. How long would it last? What if the storm never ended? Would she be trapped in a pit of fears for all eternity? Being trapped in the hospital was bad enough.

But she wouldn't be alone, she remembered. The Lady had said she was there to help her, right? That must have meant she was coming with her. Even if she was just a simple spirit, her presence would comfort her. She could change her eyes or form to whatever would help her most. And if the storm never ended, surely as a spirit the Lady could pull her from its clutches. With these thoughts, Azula relaxed.

For a long time, they sat in silence. The sun set, and slowly the sky turned from shades of pink and orange to deep purple and then finally to midnight black. The stars and moon shone clearly overhead, but their light wasn't necessary in order to see. Even in the dark, the spirit glowed as if sunbeams lived within her skin. The white glow lit up the grassy field, which had grown considerably cooler after night had fallen, and Azula felt at ease. Soon, she began to see the tiny glowing dots that were fireflies signaling to each other as they hovered above the field.

_Firebending bugs,_ she had once called them, remembering how she used to try and catch them. It had been a long time ago, she was sure, but she distinctly remembered the way they tickled her skin as they crawled across her hands. Soon after, other images began to come to the front of her mind again after being buried for several years. The speed that memories of her childhood returned to her worried her for a time, but remembering the spirit's words, she figured being in a memory had something to do with it. Still, the warm touch of her mother's hand on her shoulder scared her as much as the cold, bitter face of her father scowling at her after she had done something wrong.

After what had to be hours, Azula started to wonder if the storm was ever going to come. The fireflies had long vanished into the night, and the chirping of the crickets had faded off into nothingness. The cold was also starting to bother her. The Lady's presence provided her with light, but it did nothing to ward off the cool chill of the sea breeze.

Finally, she found she could not stand the silence any longer.

"Is it coming?" she asked in a low voice, not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence that enveloped them.

Her dark hair stirring in the slight breeze, the Lady sighed.

"It is, but I cannot say when it will be here. It has slowed considerably, but that is not to say that it will not pick up the pace soon," she murmured.

Azula did not know what to say. She did not want to face the storm, of course, but she didn't want to spend forever anticipating it either.

Since she didn't want the silence to stretch on, she said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Part of me wants it to come soon. That way we can get it over with," she said.

The Lady took her eye off the dark horizon to look at her, frowning.

"We?" she said. Then realization filled her glowing eyes. She sighed sadly and shook her head. "I am sorry, dear child, but you must face this storm alone."

Azula's blood ran cold. Alone? But she was always alone! She thought for once she wouldn't have to face the impossible alone! She saw her father's face flash before her, chiding her for showing fear.

_"Weak!" he screamed, "Weak and cowardly! You call yourself a member of this _honorable _family! Cowards have no honor!"_

The scream echoed in her ears, and she found herself trembling, tears threatening to spill.

"I thought you understood," the spirit said apologetically. She placed a glowing hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her.

Suddenly, fear was taken over by rage. How could she do this to her? She was supposed to help her, not watch her off to suffer alone! Azula felt like a fool. She had placed her trust in someone, and she was just as alone as before.

"No!" she yelled, slapping the hand from her shoulder, "Do not touch me! You lied to me! You tricked me!"

The Lady shook her head.

"No, Azula, I never lied to you," she said calmly, "I never said that I would go with you into the storm."

"Then you played with my trust!" she shouted back, standing up to face her. "I thought for once I _could _trust someone! I thought that I wouldn't be dropped like an unwanted burden for once! Changing forms, changing eyes, that's all a trick, isn't it? It's just a trick to make me think someone actually cares, when really, no one could care less!"

Standing slowly, the Painted Lady shook her head. Her face was a sad, solemn mask. It was always just a mask. No one ever showed their real faces! Even the red markings, a sign she had at first trusted because it reminded her of fire, now were just part of the disguise! How could she not see it before? A veil and a hat to cover her face? It was all part of a costume!

"Azula…"

"Don't!" Azula shouted. "Don't pretend! Don't act like there's hope anymore! I can't stand it!"

She turned and started to run, despite the fact she could not see without the Lady's light. She ran as fast as she could, trampling the grasses with pounding strides. She wanted to run away, away from the world, away from life, away from everything!

She ran for a very long time. For a while, she expected herself to tire immediately, but her legs kept going. Even when she left the grass field and ran on sand along the coast, she did not tire. It occurred to her eventually that perhaps in this world, it was impossible for her to tire. Despite that, she dropped to the sand, cool and soft to the touch, and let her tears fall.

"I'll never survive this," she murmured shakily, "I'll never make it through."

"You don't have to survive, Azula. You just need to live."

Azula sat up. There was the Painted Lady, standing in front of her, seeming to appear from no where.

"I have to survive in order to live, isn't that what you said? So if I can't survive, I'm done for!" she yelled. She wiped her face on the sleeve of the robe.

The Lady shook her head.

"I said it was possible to survive in order to live, but I said it was also possible to live in order to survive," she said. Her brown eyes sad, she sighed. "But if you believe that you cannot bear this, you do not have to face the storm."

She looked up at that. There was a choice? She could choose what to do? Drying her tears, Azula stood up, trying to hold her head high.

"I can choose?" she asked.

The Lady nodded.

"But why didn't you tell me before?"

"I thought you were strong enough. I looked in your eyes and saw what you really are. Not a monster, not a weak little girl, but a fighter. You are lost, but you can find your way. Though you hate him, you and your brother are very similar in that you do not give up," she said.

Azula frowned.

"Zuko was here?" she asked.

The Lady shook her head.

"No, he faced the storm without coming here. This place was lost for a time, before my home was restored. But he faced the storm," she explained. "But in a way, you have struggled harder than Zuko. He had people to guide him. You had to fight for yourself. The storm you face will be a greater challenge than any have faced in a very long time. But you are a fighter, and I believe you can live through it."

Azula thought about it. It was true, she was a fighter, but it was because she had no other choice. This time, she had a choice. She could choose to give up now before the fighting began. She could take the easy road.

But there was always a catch.

"What happens if I choose not to face it?" she asked quietly.

The Lady bowed her head.

"Then this is the end of your path. You will remain here, or go on to another place perhaps. But you will not return to the life you had."

Azula's heart beat fast. In other words, she would die. She would not return to the world of the living.

For a moment, it seemed so simple, so easy just to let go here. She would never have to face the hateful faces, the haunting memories, the demonic voices. No one would judge her or tell her she was a coward for giving up. It was so easy, but yet so fragile, as if everything were attached by a thin thread.

But she would die without her bending. She had heard about her father. Somehow the Avatar had managed to take his firebending away, leaving an empty, pitiful shell that was once Firelord Ozai. She did not want to die like that, not now that someone had told her it was possible she might one day regain her bending.

"I'm a firebender," Azula said at last, "and I will die a firebender, not like what my father has become."

The Lady nodded her head, a smile spreading across her face. Gently, she lifted Azula's head until she was looking into her eyes. They were still their sunshine-filled brown, but they held more comfort in their true form than any other.

"You do not realize it, but you have fought one of the hardest battles. Choosing to go on when the road is paved with danger and is full of darkness is a choice only the strong can make," she said.

Azula opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a splitting bolt of lightning. The lightning lit up the sky, almost making it look for a split second as if the sun had not set. Then a ground-shaking roll of thunder drowned out the sound of anything else. The wind began to pick up, whistling at first, then growing louder and louder, until it was impossible to hear over the howling. The waves of the sea crashed in, reaching her even though she stood high up on the shore. Rain began to pelt down on her, feeling more like the sting of bees than drops of rain. At last, the storm had come.

"You must walk out into it!" the Lady said, her voice carrying effortlessly over the din of the storm, "You must face it and let it take you before it passes! Inside the storm, I cannot tell you what you will face, but remember, you must live!"

Azula nodded. It was time. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward, feeling the tide soak her soft slippers. She waded out into the ocean, struggling against the wind and crash of the waves to reach the eye of the storm. Heart pounding, she flinched at each tremendous crash of thunder and squeezed her eyes shut at each bolt of deadly lightning. But she kept moving. Once, a wave knocked her legs out from under her, sending her thrashing in the black, salty water. By a stroke of luck, she pushed off the bottom and broke through to the surface, gasping and sputtering for air.

Finally, she reached the eye.

How she knew, she couldn't tell, but she knew that this was the center. She stepped forward, preparing herself internally for battle and then hesitated. Turning, she saw the Painted Lady watching her from the shore. She stood out like a beacon of light, glowing white amid the swirling darkness. Her red markings were still visible through the storm by some miracle.

"I have one more question!" Azula shouted through the raging storm, knowing somehow that the Lady would hear her.

She saw the spirit nod her head.

"Is this real? Or is this a dream?" she shouted.

For a moment, the Lady did nothing. She just stood on the shore, watching with her hair and veil blowing gracefully around her face. Then a smile graced her lips, and she opened her mouth to speak.

"As real as spirits, Azula," a soft, melodious voice whispered in her ear, "As real as spirits."

Azula took one last look at the Painted Lady standing on the shore before stepping forward, and the storm swallowed her.

…

Part II

Being engulfed by the storm felt unlike anything she had ever felt before. She could not breathe; she could not speak. She could not move her arms or legs at all, and her eyes could see nothing but darkness. As soon as she stepped into it, the world around her fell silent. Then, an immense pressure, like being wrapped too tightly in a bolt of cloth, surrounded her, forcing the air from her lungs. Pulling her along as if she were attached to some invisible rope, the wind stung her face. Azula tried to force her lungs to expand, but she found she couldn't. Everything was so tight! There was no air around her. The pressure was so much! Her lungs were going to burst at any moment!

Then suddenly, the pressure stopped, cutting her free from the invisible rope. With something like a pop, she broke free of the crushing tightness, and air rushed back into her lungs.

Gasping, it was not until she felt the wind rushing at her again that Azula realized she was falling. In the pitch black, she could not tell if she was close to the ground or far away. After several moments, she realized she must have been very high up, and the moment she hit the ground could be her last.

Not knowing what else to do, Azula screamed.

And with a thud, she hit the ground.

Breathing heavily, she scanned her surroundings. At first it seemed she was immersed in continual blackness, but soon her adjusting eyes were able to discern a faint grey light. After a few minutes, her surroundings became visible. She was in some sort of passageway, walls built with crumbling stone bricks. The floor below her was cold and damp, sending shivers through her.

It reminded her of her father's dungeons. The only difference was the dungeons at the palace were always lit and guarded. Here there were no torches, and there were, as far as she could see, no guards.

Her heart beating uneasily, Azula stood up, her legs shaking.

"Where am I?" she wondered out loud, her voice reverberating off the stones.

It was very dim in the passageway, and even though her eyes were now adjusting quickly, she could see very little. She could just make out the turn of the narrow corridor at the end of the hall as it swept off to the left. Behind her, there was nothing, only blackness. The more she looked at it, the more it seemed like the darkness wasn't just shadows. There was a clear line where light ended and the strange void began. Not even the faint grey light seemed to filter into it. For an unknown reason, Azula felt that the passageway did not continue that way, like it was the end of everything, the beginning of nothing.

Whatever it was, she had no intention of stepping foot into it. With this new resolve, Azula was left with only one choice when it came to which way to go. Wrapping her thin arms around herself, Azula took a tentative step in the direction of the curving passage, wondering what sort of trials lay ahead of her.

She walked for what seemed like hours in the dark, damp passage. It stretched on and on, the cold stones making her feet numb as she wore on. Several times she stopped to rest, the untiring strength she had felt in the Place of Refuge now gone and replaced with her usual weary energy.

When she stopped for the fifth time to catch her breath, Azula was feeling frustrated.

"I'm beginning to believe I have been fooled. Maybe I'll fall from exhaustion before I reach the end of this hall," she said out loud, just to break the monotonous echo of her footsteps and the faint sound of dripping water that seemed to follow her. Of course, water, the element that she hated the most, had to vex her wherever she went. By now, Azula wasn't surprised. It seemed the element always found a way to follow her.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Azula saw a shadow dart across the hall. On her feet in a flash, she stared at the spot where she had seen the shadow, heart beating like a drum. Nothing was there, but she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise.

"Who's there?" she said, trying to keep the creeping fear out of her voice, "I saw your shadow. I know you're there!"

Naturally, no one answered.

Silently, she crept forward, eyes scanning the seemingly empty corridor. As she passed the place where she had seen the shadow, she paused and studied it carefully. Perhaps there was a door hidden in the wall that the evasive person had used to disappear. But after a few minutes of futile search, she gave up and pressed on.

But it soon became obvious that she wasn't the only one in the strange stone passage. A cold sweat began to break out along the back of her neck as she walked, the feeling of being watched heavy upon her. Swallowing, Azula turned her head to see if she was being followed. She saw no one, of course, but she was sure that she heard the echo of footsteps that were not her own.

"There's nothing there," she chided herself. "How could they hide? There's nothing but stone walls here!"

But still, she couldn't shake off the feeling of eyes upon her.

When at last she thought she could not go on any farther, the hall split into two. Azula stopped, staring at the sudden fork in the road. Both looked equally dark and long. There was nothing to hint at which would be the better choice. Stumped with indecision, Azula sat in the middle of the floor.

"Which way?" she said wearily. "No warnings or hints, just two dark halls. This is a cruel game someone is playing."

"Why don't you just pick one and run?"

Azula shot up and turned toward the voice, hands automatically going to a bending stance. The speaker was hidden in the corridor to the left, wrapped in shadow. Azula could just make out the form of a girl shorter than her.

"Who are you?" she snapped. "Show yourself!"

The shadow girl laughed.

"No," she said shortly.

Azula scowled and lowered her arms. There was no way she could force this girl to come out without a weapon. In the dark, the girl had the advantage over her.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

The girl chuckled again, her figure leaning against the wall casually.

"For four reasons. The first, obviously, is to warn you. The second is to give you a hint. The third is to ask a favor of you. And the last is to give you something to recognize me by."

Azula frowned.

"Why would I need to remember you?" she asked.

The girl ignored her.

"My warning to you is this: do not fall into old ways. They will be your end."

Azula rolled her eyes. She had heard enough of such talk from her brother and the people at the hospital. She was tired of hearing it.

"You only repeat old words," she sighed, "What is the hint?"

The girl breathed deeply and cleared her throat, as if she were about to make a speech.

"My hint comes to you in the form of a story, or a poem, whichever you prefer to call it. If you listen closely, you'll understand which way to go."

And she began to recite:

_"Upon the walking of a dark way_

_ There was a choice that was posed to her._

_ To go on in the way, as they say,_

_ Is the easier way, but with less pay_

_ But most went that way; that was for sure._

_ But what of the other choice? The less-picked road?_

_ One that few travel when a choice is posed_

_ For sure, it was dark, and ill did it bode_

_ But from where she stood, no ending showed_

_ And it could be better than the other, she supposed._

_ To take that way would take a brave heart_

_ And a sense of courage that lives deep within_

_ For that way of travel is hard to start,_

_ Hard to endure, and the hardest part_

_ Is to keep going when hope is thin._

_ When one is brave and makes a change_

_ Of heart, of mind, of way, of anything_

_ The chance of something better is within range_

_ And though it may seem rather strange_

_ The better reward the harder road may bring._

_ Of course, you ask me, what of her end?_

_ Did she pick that road or the other way?_

_ In truth, I cannot tell you, my friend,_

_ For this is your story, and it will all depend_

_ On what choice you make, what road you say."_

When the girl was done speaking, she drew deeper into the shadows, so Azula could hardly tell where she had gone.

"That's it?" Azula sneered, "That's the wonderful hint you have to offer me? It's open-ended! It tells me nothing!" Her anger grew rapidly. No one was ever there to help her. Everything was always a riddle.

"Well, I thought the meaning was pretty clear," the girl retorted bitterly, "But I suppose that today anything that's left to anyone to decide is a challenge, and no one thinks beyond the obvious anymore."

Azula rolled her eyes. This girl was making her impatient.

"Stop wasting my time!" she said, crossing her arms, "I don't want to spend eternity in this mess of a… whatever this is. Your other two reasons, come on, let's get them over with."

The girl stepped out from the wall, but her face was still hidden by a shadow. But Azula could see her hands now. Wide hands, not at all graceful with freckled pale skin that was pink in some places and nearly purple in others. They looked almost sickly, except for her strong fingers. Could this girl be some sort of creature from the Spirit World?

"My favor to ask of you is this: if you return to your world, and in the event that our paths should cross again, will you teach me firebending?" the girl said.

Azula scowled. Firebending? She couldn't even bend at the current moment! How could this girl even ask her such a thing? And how would they meet again? She would certainly be locked in that hospital for the rest of eternity judging by the way things had gone. The whole idea was preposterous!

She opened her mouth to tell the girl this, but the girl raised her ugly hand to silence her.

"You do not have to answer me now. In fact, I do not even know if we will meet again. Perhaps, perhaps not. But in the case that we do, take this to return to me later."

She handed her a slim silver chain with a charm in the shape of a strange creature Azula had never seen. It had the head of some sort of bird, but the legs of some sort of cat, a lion perhaps. On its back were wings like those of a dragon.

"What is it?" she asked. "I have never seen anything like this."

"I know," the girl said, "But you will learn, perhaps."

She turned and walked away down the corridor, her shadow blending in with the darkness. For a moment, Azula thought she was going to tell her to follow her, but when the girl said nothing, she called after her.

"Wait!" she yelled. "You never told me which way was which! Which way was the harder way and which was the easier way!"

The girl stopped and turned.

"Oh, silly me," she chortled, "I forgot to mention that this isn't your fork in the road. It is mine. The passage continues through the door over there on the right."

Azula looked. Sure enough, there was a door there, even though she was certain it hadn't been there before.

"I wish you well, Lady Zara," the girl said, "I wish you well."

Azula frowned. Lady Zara? The girl must be confused. Perhaps she wasn't talking to the right person after all.

But she didn't want to stay there any longer, so turning toward the door, Azula put the necklace around her neck and moved to open it. Perhaps this was how the girl had been able to move around the corridors with her. After all, the shadow that she had seen must have been her.

"You won't follow me anymore, will you?" Azula called to the girl before going through the door.

"Follow you?" her voice called back, "I never followed you. I've been waiting by that fork this whole time!"

Azula's heart skipped a beat, and a chill of fear ran down her spine. She turned quickly to say something, but was stunned to see that the fork in the hallway was gone. In its place was just a wall, curving so that it lead to the door she was about to open.

This was too strange of a place for Azula. Heart in her throat, she swung open the door and ran inside.

…

Kala watched the sleeping girl with heavy eyes. It had been almost two days since Azula had fallen asleep, and she showed no signs of waking. For those two days, she had taken shifts along with Jet and Kobe to watch her for anything out of the ordinary. It had been a long two days.

In the middle of the night on the first night, Kobe had woken her to tell her that Azula's breathing had slowed. They had raced to the room and found her as white as a sheet, looking like she was on her death bed. For hours they had waited anxiously, as they could find nothing to do for her. Kala had feared the worst. Jet and Kobe had tried to lighten the mood with a few jokes, but in the end they had all fallen silent. Finally, just before the daybreak, Azula had taken a deep gulp of air and the color had flooded back to her face. Kala had nearly fainted in relief.

During the afternoon on the second day, Jet had come running to tell her that Azula was muttering something in her sleep. It had turned to yelling soon enough. She was yelling that someone was following her, moaning about "doors in the walls." Soon, the yelling had stopped, but it had put them all on edge.

Then Kala had seen the girl frown in her sleep. Her lips moved, but her voice was too soft to hear. The nurse thought she heard the words "road not traveled by," but she wasn't sure. But soon Azula fell silent, and they hadn't seen a sign of movement from her since.

Rubbing her eyes, Kala yawned. She had hardly slept a wink since Azula had started sleeping. There was little they could do for her, but to leave the girl alone felt wrong. In her lap was another one of her daughter's dresses. It was too bad the bright colors hadn't lasted. They had matched Su Ling's eyes so well. Remembering her daughter made her heart sore, but it was better than forgetting her.

"You remind me of her sometimes," Kala said to Azula, though she knew the girl was probably halfway to the Spirit World at the moment. "She had the same dark hair as you, the same pale skin. But it's not just your looks that remind me of her. You have that same stubbornness, the same determination. You may not realize it, but it's true. The way you stand up to Dr. Lin. You never give in. I think she would have appreciated that."

Kala fell silent and just looked at the dress in her lap. The only sounds to be heard were Azula's soft breaths, and muffled voices of the hospital workers as they made their rounds. Suddenly, Kala wondered if Jet was getting into trouble, but she let the thought pass almost immediately. Jet was a troubled young man, but his heart was in the right place. He wouldn't get into too much trouble, she hoped.

Thinking of Jet made her sigh. She worried about him constantly, almost like he was her own son. But it wasn't just a worry that he would get in trouble; it was a worry that he would get hurt.

When Jet's friends had first carried him into the clinic she had worked at in Ba Sing Se, she had thought he was already dead. By some miracle, he had survived the night. It had taken the best healers around, even some waterbenders that had lived unknown in the city, to mend his broken body to a point that he could live with. But even at that, Kala knew there was too much damage to heal him completely. He could end up crippled if he pushed himself too far or if someone injured him.

It was because of that Jet had given up fighting. He had told her that he fought with two hooks, and that he had been rather good at it, too. But fighting could mean reopening up wounds or damaging the unhealed tissue even more.

That was part of the reason she had left Ba Sing Se with him. With the war coming to the Earth Kingdom capital, there would have been too much of a chance that Jet would run off and join the fight against the Firenation. They had traveled from town to town across the Earth Kingdom, healing injuries and sleeping at the homes of generous people that they helped. When the war ended, Kala had decided to travel to the Firenation. With Firelord Ozai finally out of power, there was a potential to help the people of the nation and the chance to help heal the ones affected most by war.

Because she knew Jet would be resilient to helping the people of a nation that had killed his parents, she had talked Dr. Lin into allowing Jet to be the hospital's cleaning boy. It wasn't too strenuous of a job, and it would keep Jet out of trouble. Of course, now his role had changed entirely, but at the time it had seemed like a good fix.

But she still knew how much he missed his old life. Who wouldn't? He had been free and happy. He had been among a family that couldn't be replaced. He had felt like he was doing good, though based on the stories she had heard, she could tell he had gotten a little out of control. In his room above his bed, the two hooks that he had fought with hung like a memorial to what used to be. Kala had to wonder some days if he was truly happy, limited to being a cleaning boy in a nation that was foreign to him. She had told him before that he could leave, but he had refused. To him, it was like paying back a debt, and she sensed that he felt lost in this world without the remains of his shattered family.

"Some days I think he's miserable," Kala said to Azula, "But he never talks of leaving. I know he wishes he could, but the life he once had doesn't exist anymore. And right now, a labor job is all he would find to support himself. It would be too much."

Azula slept on, and Kala sighed, a smile playing on her lips.

"Look at me, talking to a sleeping patient!" she exclaimed, "I must be getting on. They say that the old either get wise or senile where I come from."

There was a knock at the door, and Jet poked his head in.

"My shift, Kala," he said, "Go get some dinner."

Kala smiled and stood, stretching her stiff limbs. There was something about sitting for hours that made one very tired and stiff. She looked over at Azula briefly before sighing and shaking her head.

"At this rate, I'd say we can expect another two days," she said.

Jet frowned.

"Four days without water?" he asked, "We'll have to force it into her somehow. She won't last."

Kala nodded.

"I know. But what worries me more is the possibility of waking her before it is her time to wake up. This isn't a normal sleep, after all," she said.

Jet shrugged.

"Either way has a negative outcome," he murmured under his breath, his eyes on the sleeping girl. Kala could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as he searched for a solution.

"Don't worry about it now," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure she'll be all right."

Jet nodded without saying anything, and Kala smiled once more before walking out the door. Once out of the room, she sighed and rubbed her face tiredly. Her smile faded, and she shook her head.

_Spirits, _she thought, _I hope I'm right!_

…

The passageway led to stairs. Carefully, Azula descended down into the dark, unsure of where she was going. She was cautious and placed her foot securely on each step before moving the next one. It took a long time, but at last, she was at the bottom of the stairwell.

It again looked like the dungeons at the palace, but this time there were torches. Bright and warm, they lit the hall just like at her home. The stone floors were smooth and dry, much unlike the ones she had seen before.

"Perhaps my luck is changing," she said, allowing a small smile on her face.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting shriek echoed off the stone walls. Her heart skipped several beats, and the skin on her arms and legs prickled. It lasted for several seconds, the sound grating and unnerving. Azula found herself shaking by the time it had passed. Breathing hard, she gulped.

"Perhaps not," she whispered.

She turned to go back up the stairs and find a new way, but like the fork in the passageway she had seen earlier, the stairs had vanished and had been replaced with a stone wall. Azula bit her lip. Someone was playing with her, she was certain, and she did not like this game.

Heart racing, she turned back toward the dungeon and moved forward. It would be much better to find the source of the screaming before it found her. Or at least, she hoped.

…

As she walked, Azula noticed that this corridor actually had the cells of the dungeon, and not all of them were empty. The first time she saw a prisoner, she nearly fainted from surprise. It was an old man, gripping the bars of his cell so hard his knuckles were white. His sunken eyes looked at her with an empty, desolate gaze. He reached one of his hands toward her, holding it palm up as if he expected her to give him something.

"Please, Princess, spare me!" he rasped, "Please, let me go!"

Azula stared with wide, scared eyes.

"I… I…" she stammered.

"Please!" he pleaded.

Azula turned on her heel and ran, scared beyond belief. She didn't understand it. She had seen prisoners before. She had imprisoned countless numbers of people before, and she had done it without any second thought! What was wrong with her?

The next prisoner was a face she recognized, and it disturbed her even more.

"I thought we were friends, Azula!" Ty Lee exclaimed, "I tried to be your friend, I tried!"

"There's no use, Ty Lee," Mai's smooth, unemotional voice cut in.

Azula looked to the back of the cell. Sure enough, there was the traitor. She was sitting on the ground with her arms crossed, looking like she usually did. But this time, instead of a bored gleam in her eyes, there was a fiery glare of loathing that seemed to cut through Azula.

"Why are you here?" Azula snapped, trying to return the intense gaze that Mai shot at her.

Mai stood and walked to the bars. Her raven hair gleamed in the torch light, giving her a frightening radiance.

"Why am I here?" Mai said, pretending to stop and think. "That's a very good question. Why are we here, Ty Lee? Oh, that's right." She stopped and turned to Azula, her face inches away from hers. "You tried to kill me."

"I had reason to!" Azula snapped, "You betrayed me!"

"Did I now?" Mai asked, her voice silky-smooth, "I recall I saved your brother's life. I overcame my fear of you. Is that what betrayal is? Sorry, I didn't know the definition had changed."

Azula scowled.

"You both betrayed me! You turned on me!" she shouted, "You… You…"

Mai laughed a cold, heartless laugh.

"Don't trouble yourself. You know the truth. You lost your power. Fear failed you, and it came back to haunt you. _I love Zuko more than I fear you._"

"Stop it!" Azula shouted. "Who do you think you are? Look at you, you're a prisoner! You're held back by bars while I'm free! How dare you say such things to me?"

Mai's hand shot through the bars and grabbed the collar of her robe. Azula struggled to break free of her grip, but Mai was stronger than her.

"I'm a prisoner?" she said, looking Azula straight in the eye, "No, you're the prisoner. My thoughts haven't been twisted since the day I was born. I'm free to think what I wish. You're the one who's forced to think a certain way. Even when you could change how you think, fear holds you back. You're still scared. Is that why you've tried to invoke fear in everyone you meet? Because you wanted to get back at the world for all the fear that was invoked in you?"

"Stop it!" Azula yelled again, "That's not true! I'm not afraid!"

"Liar!" Mai spat, "There's no point in hiding it anymore, Azula. You're afraid, and you've always been afraid. You're perfect out of fear!"

"I am not!" Azula protested, but her voice was weak.

"Some days I feel sorry for you, thinking how alone you must be, but then I realized that you wouldn't care about me if I were in your position. Then again, you don't know how to care for anyone," Mai said. Suddenly, she had a knife in her hand, holding it to Azula's throat. "Now, you are going to let me out of here, or I will kill you, like I should have done before."

"I… I…I don't know how!" Azula stammered. She looked around for a key on the way, a piece of metal, anything to open the cell. There was nothing. Eyes wide with fear, she looked at Mai. She knew she was helpless and at her mercy.

Mai smirked.

"Fine with me. I'll be happy to carry out the alternative," she said smoothly. She pressed the knife harder into Azula's neck.

"No, please!" Azula pleaded, her eyes filling with tears, "Please, Mai, don't do this! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything!" She began to feel the warm dribble of blood flow down her neck.

"No, you're not!"

"I am!" Azula insisted, "Please! Ty Lee, help me! Tell her that I mean it!"  
Ty Lee just looked away sadly.

"I saved you both from this moment before," she sighed, "This time I can't interfere."

"No! Ty Lee!" Tears streamed down Azula's cheeks.

"You say we betrayed you," Mai said, holding her up firmly by the throat, "But really, it was you that betrayed us. We thought you were our friend, but you manipulated us with lies and fear. You're the real traitor."

In her mind's eye, Azula saw Mai and Ty Lee when she had met them at school. Yes, they had been friends then, she was sure of it. She could remember them laughing and playing and telling each other secrets. It hadn't mattered that she was Princess of the Firenation; they were just three girls going to the same school. And they were best friends.

But then her mother had vanished. Everything had changed then. Her father… No, her father had been more than gracious. He had taught her everything. He had taught her to be what she was, a powerful firebender. That was what was important, right? Power, no matter the cost? Even at the cost of making her friends fear her? Even at the cost of losing their trust? Wasn't it worth it?

As Azula felt Mai's knife pushing into her neck, she wondered if it really was.

"Any last words, Azula?" Mai asked coldly.

Was power really worth her life? She remembered that day at the Boiling Rock. She had been ready to kill Mai, kill her! All out of the need for power! She remembered the sudden panic she had felt when Mai said she no longer feared her. She hadn't even thought about killing a friend! She had just felt the need for control, for power. And now, the tables were turned on her.  
Azula looked at Mai, sad gold eyes staring into fierce grey ones, and took a shaky breath.

"I was wrong," she said softly, "And I know you will never forgive me. I wouldn't forgive me. I looked for power over you when I should have looked for trust, for friendship. I shouldn't have tried to make you fear me. All that it brought was hatred." She paused and took a breath. "And now I see you are braver than I could ever be, and I should have seen it before. You two were the only friends I ever had, if we were friends at any point, and I threw it all away. I'm sorry."

Azula looked away and closed her eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't want to see the look in Mai's eyes when she killed her. Her heart pounded and she swallowed, waiting for the blade to cut into her neck and end it all. For a second it occurred to her that she had failed the Lady. She hadn't survived.

But the blade never slid across her throat. Slowly, the pressure of the knife vanished, and Azula dared to open her eyes. Mai lowered the knife and let go of her collar, looking away as she did. She sighed sadly, shaking her head.

"You are really still in there, somewhere," she murmured, "The girl I met at the Academy. I never thought I'd see it."

Azula stared at her, breathing heavily. Was she not going to kill her? Even after she had every right to? She didn't understand; she couldn't understand why Mai didn't do it.

"I don't understand," Azula said, "Why didn't you do it? You had me at your mercy! No one would have missed me, not now. You had the perfect chance!"

Ty Lee stood and put a hand on Mai's shoulder. She sighed and gave Azula a half smile.

"We would have missed you, now that you're closer to being you," she said, sighing, "I just wished you had realized it sooner." With her other hand, she took Azula's hand, holding onto it like she used to when she was sad or crying.

Mai looked at Azula and nodded. In her eyes, there were tears forming.

"So much has happened, Azula, I don't think we will ever be the friends we once were," she said, a small tear escaping from her eye, "There is just too much to forget, and not enough time to mend it."

Suddenly, Azula understood. Deep down inside, they were still friends. But she had done too much to them for them to forget or forgive. They couldn't be what they used to be; there were too many painful memories for them. They had to move on. This was goodbye.

"I understand," Azula said, "But I wish I could free you." Again, she searched the walls for a key or anything to unlock the cell, but again there was nothing.

"What about that key?" Ty Lee asked, pointing at her chest.

Azula looked down. The necklace the shadow girl had given her was still there, but the oddly-shaped figure was now a key. Unbelieving, Azula took the necklace off and stared at it. It was impossible. With fumbling hands, she slid the key into the lock and turned it. With a soft click, the bars swung open. Replacing the necklace around her neck, Azula wondered if this was the reason the girl gave it to her.

When Ty Lee stepped out of the cell, she hugged Azula tightly.

"I'll miss you, Azula," she said.

"I… I'll miss you, too," Azula said, choking back tears.

When Ty Lee released her, Mai stepped in front of her, looking directly into Azula's eyes. Azula blinked back tears, and cleared her throat.

"I… I am sorry, Mai," she said, "I truly am."

Mai nodded.

"I know you are. That's why I want you to have this," she said. She handed her one of her polished knives, placing it carefully in the palm of her hand. "I hope it helps you, in what way, I don't know, but I hope that it does. May it help you live."

Azula nodded and slipped the knife into her belt.

"Thank you."

Then Mai turned and gestured to Ty Lee to do the same. They walked away down the way that Azula had come, leaving her alone again. Azula's heart panged with sadness as she watched her two best friends walk away for what could be forever.

"Goodbye," Azula whispered.

Soon, they were out of sight, and Azula couldn't help but feel that a part of her had been ripped from her. As she turned and continued to walk the way she had been going, she let her tears fall, and for some odd reason, she felt no shame when they did.

…

The dungeon soon came to an end. Azula could see a door at the end of the hall and, even more importantly, a light shining through the gap at the bottom of the door. Happily, she pulled the handle and stepped through. Perhaps now she was finally going home.

She was, but in a completely different sense of the word.

Azula gasped as she stared at the palace grounds. They were empty and dark, the sky a dark red and filled with dark clouds. Flames leapt up from the buildings around her, some already fallen and black from fire. The smell of smoke was in the air, thick and pungent, making her cough when she breathed too deeply.

It only took her a moment to realize where she was. The scene had been preserved perfectly in her mind for months. It was the sight of her last failure, the sight of the Agni Kai between her and Zuko.

A cough startled her from her stunned silence. Looking over, she saw a figure lying on the ground. Cautiously, she walked toward it, almost dreading what she would find. No, it couldn't be. It couldn't. It had ended differently than this!

When she reached her brother's side, she knelt and shook her head. No, he was healed! He had been healed! Zuko lay with his eyes closed, his face deathly white. In the middle of his abdomen, there was star-shaped wound. A wound from where she had…

Sudden panic took over her. Her brother was dying. Her older brother was dying. She had never thought… No, she couldn't imagine it! It just couldn't happen. He was her brother! He always came back!

Azula felt confused and helpless. Why was she thinking such things? Didn't she hate him? Didn't she want him dead? Didn't she want to be Firelord? In order to do that, she had to have Zuko out of the way. Why did she feel like this? She didn't love him, truly. Did she? Did she even know how to love? Azula found her eyes brimming with tears of confusion, frustration, and grief.

"Zuko?" she said, touching his face gently, "Zuko, look at me!"

Letting out a shaky breath, Zuko opened his eyes slightly. In those gold orbs Azula could see how much pain he was in. He grimaced, his breathing irregular and short. Gently, she pulled him onto her lap, trying not to bump the wound.

"'Zula?" he murmured, "What are you doing?"

"I… I have to help you," she said frantically, "Where's that waterbender? She could heal you! She has to! I saw her do it myself! She… No! This is all wrong! You were supposed to win, not die!"

Zuko furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What… What are you talking about, Azula? You won. You're... Fire… Firelord," he said, his words slurred and soft. His skin was getting colder. She could see he was fading.

"No, no, that's impossible!" she exclaimed, shaking her head fervently. "You won, I saw you win! I lost! The… the waterbender chained me up and… and she h-healed you." Her voice caught in her throat.

"Katara?" Zuko said, opening his eyes slightly, "She's… She's alive?"

"Yes!" Azula insisted, "She has to be! Y-you saved her. You jumped in front of that bolt and… and…" Her voice trailed off when she saw another figure lying not far away. This one was dressed in blue, her flowing brown hair covering her face.

No, she couldn't be dead! She had to heal her brother!

"No!" she cried, her voice thick with desperation.

Gently, she laid Zuko down and ran to the waterbender's side. She flipped her over so she was laying face-up. Azula shook her head frantically. No, this couldn't happen!

"Please! Please wake up!" she pleaded, lifting the girl's head, "Please, K-Katara! Please, save my brother! You have to wake up!"

The waterbender-Katara- didn't move. Azula put her ear to her chest, listening for a heart beat. There was none. As she lifted her head, Azula saw the wound in her chest, just like the one that Zuko had on his. She also saw the dirt beneath the girl's fingernails and the claw marks on the ground. She had been dragging herself toward Zuko to save him before she died.

"No, I couldn't have done this!" she cried, tears spilling onto the waterbender's peaceful face. "I couldn't have killed her!"

"Azula?" Zuko said faintly.

Laying the lifeless waterbender back on the ground, Azula ran to her brother's side. He was having trouble breathing. She had to find a way to save him. Hadn't he and the girl gotten here somehow? Yes, the flying beast! If she could get him there…

She started to gather him in her arms.

"Zuko, we have to get you help. Where's the avatar's pet? If we can…"

"No, Azula," he said, cutting her off, "I won't make it."

Azula shook her head, refusing to believe it.

"No, you're going to be fine, Zuko. I'm going to save you! Just hold on, Zuko! Don't give up! Please! Don't die!" she said, "I don't want you to die, Zuko! You're my brother! You're the only family I have!"

For a moment, she was shocked with herself. The only family she had? What about her father? Wasn't he her family? Zuko had been banished for years! She had not seen or heard from him! It was like he hadn't existed! She had seen her father every day! He had taught her at her lessons… The hard, painful lessons…

"Shh…" Zuko said, "Why such remorse? I thought… I thought you wanted to be Firelord."

"I wanted my brother to come home!" she sobbed, "Every day I wanted you to come home, Zuko! I wanted it to be like when Mother was alive! Everything was easy then! You were my big brother, and you protected me! And I hated you when Father gave you more attention, but you were there when he was in a temper, and you'd take the blame for me! I… I hated you for leaving me alone with him! I hated you for dishonoring him because you weren't there to protect me anymore! I hated you because I was scared when you were gone!"

Tears were dripping from her face like rain. Her shoulders shook from her wracking sobs. She held onto him, wishing that she could keep him here. She wished she hadn't treated him so horribly. She wished that she hadn't made him her enemy. She wished she hadn't killed him.

Suddenly, Zuko took her hand.

"You really mean that?" he said, squeezing her hand tightly.

Azula nodded.

"Every word," she whispered.

Zuko smiled faintly.

"That explains a lot," he murmured, "It's up to you now, then. You're Firelord."

"No!" Azula yelled, "You're Firelord! You have to be! I don't know how to rule! I don't know anything, Zuko! I'm just a girl! People hate me! I can't rule! I can't rule!"

"Y-you're wrong," Zuko stammered, "You are s-so much m-more. You're a f-firebending prodigy."

"Not anymore," she cried, "I've lost my bending, Zuko! I can't do anything!"

"Please," Zuko said, "Don't…"

Suddenly a spasm shot through him. Azula could feel him tense as he groaned in pain. He squeezed her hand so hard she thought he would break it, but she didn't say anything. She could only cry.

"No, Zuko!" she pleaded, "Don't leave me again!" She wiped the sweat from his brow with the edge of her sleeve, trying to comfort him in any small way.

Zuko took a raspy breath.

"Sometimes…" he choked, "We have to…do things…w-we don't w-want t-t-to…"

"…do?" she said.

Zuko grimaced and nodded.

"But life… you can't give up. Y-you can't give up hope for t-tomorrow. Even when the sun… even when it's… when it's g-gone. You can't give up…"

He let out a breath and closed his eyes. His hold on her hand loosened, and it fell to his chest. Azula shook her head, tears dripping from her face. He couldn't be gone! He couldn't be! He was supposed to always be there! He was supposed to be her brother!

"No!" she screamed. Sobbing furiously, she laid his lifeless form on the ground. She buried her face in her hands, not wanting to believe it. She had survived, but her brother hadn't. She didn't want to survive! She wanted her brother back! She wanted him to live!

When her tears finally slowed, she wiped her arms on her sleeve. She couldn't just leave his body out in the open. Slowly, she gathered up her resolve to move her brother's body to a more dignified place, and she turned to face him.

Zuko was gone.

Confused and frantic, Azula stood and looked around her. He was no where. Even the waterbender was gone. Looking up at the buildings around her, she saw that the fires were gone. The sky had changed to a midnight blue, and the smoke had vanished from the air. It was like it had never happened.

"What is this madness?" she said, rubbing her tear-stained face, "What kind of cruel joke is this?"

No one answered. She was alone in the middle of an empty battle field, with no way to tell what she was supposed to do.

Anger rose up inside of her. She had had enough. Whoever was doing this to her had gone too far. It was time to end this.

"Fine! You want me to play your game? Come and face me yourself! I dare you! I'm not afraid of you!" she screamed. She pulled Mai's knife from her belt. Not her first choice of a weapon, but Mai knew her weapons well. If Mai could use it, she could.

The air was still, too still. The tension in the air was so thick, Azula felt like she could cut it with Mai's knife. She looked around her. There was nobody there. Her face set in a determined scowl, she waited. This wasn't the end, she felt it. Somebody was out there watching her.

"I'm waiting!" she shouted, "Come on, you coward! Show yourself!"

"Azula!"

Azula turned. There, standing in front of her was her father. He smiled at her, nodding his appreciatively.

"No fear, just like I taught you. That would have been good in a new Firelord," he said.

Azula frowned. He said "would have" instead of will. A chill ran up her spine as watched him. Something wasn't right. She could feel it.

"Father? You… You're the one who did this?" she said in disbelief.

"A test of your strength, my daughter," he said, "Lately I've doubted your survival abilities. I can't say I'm pleased with how you acted with the prisoners and your brother. It was quite despicable."

Azula shook her head frantically. No, she could no displease her father. She was loyal to him! He had to know that! Quickly, she dropped down to the ground and bowed before him.

"Forgive me, Father, I did not mean to…"

"That's quite enough!" he barked, "You disappoint me, Azula! The way you have acted is unforgivable! You have failed my test! You are just like your brother!"

"No!" she pleaded, "Father, please! I'll do better next time, I promise!"

Ozai laughed, cold and uncaring.

"Next time? This reminds me of your brother's run in with dishonor," he cackled, "Oh, I remember that day well. He was so strong and tough until he saw who he was facing. He thought I'd show him mercy." Ozai laughed. "Well, you know the story, Azula. You know what happened to Zuko."

Azula touched the side of her face. She was trembling terribly. Her heart raced within her chest, pounding as if it wanted to leap from her. There was no way she could fight him. Without her firebending, she was helpless. Mai's knife would not save her from him.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Father," she whimpered, "Please, please, forgive me!"

Her father laughed again.

"It's too late for that, Azula!"

Without warning, he shot a column of flame at her. Azula screamed and rolled, just barely avoiding the flames. She jumped to her feet and ran, panting heavily as she went. Ozai shot another blast of fire at her, and this time, she felt the burning of her flesh on the back of her leg. Screeching in agony, she kept running, trying to find someplace to hide. She remembered the waterbender running from her during the Agni Kai. If she could get behind those pillars, she would have a chance.

"Don't be a coward!" Ozai shouted at her, "Face me, Azula!"

Azula dove behind a column just as another blast came her way. Crouching behind it, she could hear the crackle of the burning wood around her. The pillars would not last long. She needed something to shield her from the flames.

She didn't have time to think about it. Another blast hit the column, this time reaching around it. Azula jumped and rolled away from the heat, scanning the courtyard for anything that could help her. A pang of hopelessness hit her when she realized there was nothing. She was going to die at her father's hands.

"Somebody help me!" she screamed, ducking behind another pillar as another Ozai attacked again. She dared a glance when the heat faded, and saw him coming toward her. Fear erupted in her chest. Where would she run? There was no where to hide! She was doomed.

"I wasn't lying. I will keep you safe! Just don't give up before I can keep that promise!"

Azula turned. A familiar face grinned at her, and she gasped.

"Jet?" she said, "What are you doing here?"

Jet grabbed her and pulled her away from another blast.

"Keeping my promise," he said, eyes set with a grim determination, "Now, when he comes for me, I want you to run." He looked around the pillar, gritting his teeth. Azula looked, too. Ozai was almost upon them. Fire bloomed from his palms, a furious scowl on his face.

"He'll kill you!" she said, "You can't go out there!"

Jet smirked.

"I've had worse," he said.

What was worse than an angry, powerful, merciless Firelord that was throwing fire at them was beyond her. She tugged at his sleeve and held him back when he tried to run toward Ozai.

"No!" she said, "I can't let you do this!" The image of Zuko's lifeless body blossomed in her mind. "It's me he wants, not you!"

Jet pulled his arm out of her grip.

"He'll kill whoever he can at this point, Azula," he said, "I'll distract him long enough for you to get away. Only one of us is going to survive this fight, Azula, and it's going to be you!"

Suddenly, everything got silent. Everything moved slowly around her. Jet's lips moved, but she didn't hear the words. In this odd stillness, she could not hear Ozai's shouting, the flames, the blasts; it was all silent. In this moment of calmness, she heard voices in her mind.

"_Let him go, little Azula! Let him die! Just escape and let the boy die. Your survival's more important than his anyway…"_

"_Living is not the same thing as surviving. One can survive without truly living…"_

"…_you're not brave enough! You're weak! You can't do it, little Azula…"_

"_Even when the sun… even when it's… when it's g-gone. You can't give up…"_

"_Don't even try!"_

"_To take that way would take a brave heart… And a sense of courage that lives deep within…"_

"_You are really still in there, somewhere…"_

"_GIVE UP! THERE IS NO HOPE! GIVE UP!"_

"…_and the hardest part is to keep going when hope is thin…"_

"_DON'T LISTEN! YOU CAN'T KEEP GOING!"_

"…_You had to fight for yourself. The storm you face will be a greater challenge than any have faced in a very long time. But you are a fighter, and I believe you can live through it…"_

"_YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T!"_

"_You do not realize it, but you have fought one of the hardest battles. Choosing to go on when the road is paved with danger and is full of darkness is a choice only the strong can make…"_

"_YOU'RE NOT STRONG! YOU ARE WEAK!"_

"_You don't have to survive, Azula. You just need to live."_

"_YOU JUST NEED…"_

"_You must live!"_

Suddenly, she understood what the Lady had been saying. She understood the difference between living and surviving. Everyone could survive if only for a second. But how many truly lived for a however short or long period of time? For her entire life she had been surviving, but had she been living? Well, now she would.

The world came crashing back at full speed, the din of noise booming where only moments before there had been silence. Jet moved to run toward Ozai, but she caught him and jerked him back. He looked at her angrily.

"Azula! I have to…" he started.

"No!" she shouted, "This is my fight!"

"But he will kill you!" Jet exclaimed.

Ozai sent a blast of flame so strong that it flew beyond the pillar, just a hair's breadth away from her skin.  
"Come out, Azula!" he yelled, "I'm getting tired of this hiding!"

Azula looked Jet straight in the eyes.

"Only one of us will survive this fight, yes, but we are both going to live!" she shouted. She stood and stepped out from behind the pillar, eyes set straight ahead on Ozai.

Her father stopped and studied her with a sick smile. His eyes were wild and horrible, like an inferno burning into her eyes. His hair flew out around him like the mane of a wild creature. His face was set in an evil grin, his brows diving down in a permanent, hateful scowl.

And she had to admit, she was more afraid of him than anything else in her life. But she took a step forward.

"You don't have to listen to him!" Jet yelled pleadingly, "You don't have to face him like he says!"

Calmly, she turned toward Jet. Smiling faintly, she shook her head.

"I'm not listening to him. I'm defying him," she said.

Then she turned back to the monster that was her father. Clenching Mai's knife in her hand, she remembered her friend's words.

"_May it help you live."_

Ozai laughed as she approached him.

"Well, well. You are just like your brother," he cackled, "You have a brave spot, but it's surrounded by foolishness. You think you can take me? A little girl without her firebending? Will you kneel like your brother did?"

In her mind, Azula heard her last conversation with Zuko.

"_I don't know anything, Zuko! I'm just a girl! People hate me! I can't rule! I can't rule!"_

"_Y-you're wrong," Zuko stammered, "You are s-so much m-more."_

Azula stared Ozai straight in the eyes with the most hateful look she could give. A fire burned within her, even if she could not bend, and she let it with her voice.

"I am just like Zuko!" she shouted, "In that we are both more than you ever gave us credit for!"

Ozai screamed in rage and sent a blast in her direction. Azula rolled and missed it, and in the same motion let Mai's knife fly toward its target. Time seemed to slow. The knife spun quickly, but Ozai sent a column of fire toward her faster. She would not be able to avoid this one, but Ozai would never see the small knife spiraling faster and faster toward his throat in time…

The heat grew intense. She could feel it singeing her clothes. Azula closed her eyes against the pain she knew was coming, the agony that would end her. Suddenly, a bright white light appeared, and she felt nothing more.

…

Azula opened her eyes. The sun was shining on her as she lay in a field of grass. Sitting up quickly, she turned and looked around her. She was back on Ember Island. She was in the Place of Refuge. Scratching her head in confusion, she pondered how it was possible.

"You listened," a sun-filled voice said.

Azula turned to see the Painted Lady, her white robes flowing around her as she radiated a happy, white light. She smiled at the spirit and pushed herself to her feet.

"What do you mean?" Azula asked.

The Lady smiled.

"I told you to live, and you listened," she said, beaming at Azula like a second sun.

"You mean all I had to do was live?" Azula said, "Discover what it meant and do it? That was it?" Now the Lady's words seemed simple. If she had just explained it to her a little bit more clearly before, maybe it wouldn't have taken so long.

"I wouldn't describe your deeds in such simple terms, but yes, I told you what you had to know to survive the storm," she said.

Azula frowned. There was that word "survive" again. It was all so confusing, but yet it made sense in a strange way.

"You are a first among those that have visited here," the Lady continued, "as you are the only one to have visited twice."

"Twice?" Azula said, "You mean it's not normal?"

The Lady shook her head.

Sighing, Azula sat down on the grass and looked out on the sea.

"That's okay," she said, "This place is worth two visits. Just out of curiosity, though, why did I come here again?"

The Lady sat beside her and sighed. Azula knew well enough that the sigh meant there was something else in store for her. For a moment, she panicked. What if she had to face the storm again? Wasn't once enough? She didn't think she could bear it a second time!

"I don't have to go back in there, do I?" she asked nervously, "I can't do it again!"

The Lady shook her head emphatically.

"No, no, you will not face the storm again. It is over, and you have made it through."

"Then why am I still here?" Azula asked.

The spirit sighed and took her time about answering. Azula waited patiently, knowing one way or another she would find out eventually why she was there.

Finally the Lady spoke.

"Your last challenge in the storm was your father," she said slowly, "And you faced him with the mindset that he was the monster."

"Wasn't he?" Azula asked.

The Lady nodded.

"Yes, in the storm he was. What he has done is unforgivable, and there is no way to undo what he has done," she said.

"But?" prompted Azula.

"But," she spirit continued, "He did not begin that way." She sighed and looked at Azula, her light brown eyes sad. "Did you wonder why you did not see your mother?"

Azula's heart dropped, and she nodded. Yes, she had wondered. She had thought her mother of all people would have appeared to her, but she had not been among the people that she had seen. The thought saddened her, and she didn't know why.

"You have returned to the Place of Refuge because there is one last thing you need to see. It is an actual truth that has been granted to you, not a mere memory or scene created with your mind. It is a fond moment, one that has no place in the storm, but it is just as important," the spirit said, "After seeing this, you will return to your world, and, hopefully, never return. Do you understand?"  
Azula nodded.

"Good," the Lady said. With a fair, slender hand, she pointed out onto the horizon. "Look out past the sea, where the sun meets the water at sunset. You will start to see it."

Azula did as she was told. At first, she saw nothing, but slowly, a scene began to unfold before her. The clouds began to shape into figures and things, changing form and color until Azula found herself standing in the middle of a bedchamber. From the red silks and draperies, she guessed that it was at the palace.

"Oh, Princess Ursa, well done! Well done!" someone said behind her.

A baby's cry forced her to turn, and she gasped at what she saw. There was her mother, lying in bed, damp with sweat and panting tiredly. She looked exhausted, but her eyes danced with the purest joy, as radiant as the stars as they looked at the bundle in her arms.

A woman approached the bed, smiling warmly at Ursa and the baby in her arms.

"A girl, Princess Ursa," she said, "A healthy, strong girl."

Ursa shushed her crying daughter with a soft smile.

"Spirits bless," she murmured, brushing a loose lock of dark hair from her eyes, "She is such a tiny, beautiful thing."

She opened her mouth to say more, but she was cut off as the door to the bedchamber opened. Azula froze as she watched her father step into the room. His eyes were wide with anticipation, and for once, he looked visually ruffled in his Firelord's robes.

"What is it?" he asked, stopping at the edge of the bed, eyeing Ursa and the baby with gold eyes. The look that his eyes held was so… different than any she had ever seen in them. They were kind and radiant, reminding Azula of Zuko's eyes. Her father's eyes glowed with the same warmth that her brother's always held. It was strange and unsettling to see her father express such emotions.

_I thought he was always cruel,_ she thought to herself.

Her mother smiled tiredly and held the bundle of blankets out to her husband to hold.

"You have a daughter," she said as he took the bundle into his arms, "A beautiful little gem."

Ozai's face fell slightly as he looked at his sleeping child. Azula felt a pang in her heart. Had her father not cared for her because she was not a son? Had he thought that she had failed him from the moment she was born?  
"A girl," Ozai said, staring at the bundle with a sad sweetness in his eyes that was unnatural to see in him.

"A girl," Ursa repeated, still smiling, "Before she fell asleep, she opened her eyes. She has your eyes."

Ozai blinked and looked up at his wife lying in bed. Her smile grew even brighter when he looked at her, and suddenly Azula realized that she loved him. When Ozai returned the smile, almost as bright as the one he had received, Azula knew that it was a mutual feeling. She wondered where it had all gone wrong. She had never seen her parents share a smile or even a gentle touch. Why had they stopped loving each other? Why had Ozai changed?  
"And she has her mother's beauty," Ozai said softly to Ursa.

Azula felt her eyes fill with tears. Her father had called them, both her and her mother, beautiful.

"If she had been a boy," Ozai continued, turning his head back to his daughter, "I would have named her Azulon. It seems I cannot do that now."

Her mother smiled again.

"You could name her Azula," she said, "It's a beautiful name, just like her."

Her father nodded.

"Yes, Azula. It will fit perfectly," he whispered.

Gently, he handed the baby Azula back to her mother. Ursa smoothed the tiny tuft of her baby's raven hair and kissed the crown of her head.

"Rest well, my love," Ozai said softly to Ursa, kissing her gently before turning and walking out of the room.

Azula suddenly realized there were tears dripping from her eyes. She had never heard her father say anything so kind or to even hint that he loved her mother.

"You're crying," a voice said beside her.

Azula turned and saw the Painted Lady standing beside her. She had been so engrossed in the scene in front of her that she hadn't even noticed her presence.

"He… he was never like that," she choked, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, "He never said things like that. I… I can't believe this is real."

The Lady sighed.

"It is. It is a shadow of what once was, though it is no longer," she told her. Then she pointed at her mother. "Watch," she said.

Azula looked at her mother, who was cradling the baby Azula with a loving embrace.

The servant worked in the background, humming as she went.

"He seemed upset when you told him it was a girl," she remarked, "A shame. He doesn't realize a woman's potential."

Ursa smiled.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry. She'll make us all proud one day. She'll show her father that she is something special," she said.

A cold chill ran through Azula. If only her mother realized how true her words were, in a twisted sort of way.

Tucking the blankets around her daughter a bit tighter, Ursa kissed the baby Azula's cheek.

"I will always love you, my little Azula, my precious little daughter…"

Her words faded into nothing as the scene dissolved into clouds once more. Azula watched her mother for as long as she could before she too vanished into the clouds.

"This is where we part, Azula," the Lady's voice said, "I wish you well."

Azula could not answer. She could do nothing but look off into the distant horizon as a strangled sob escaped her throat and tears rained from her eyes.

…

Jet sighed tiredly as he watched the sunset from Azula's window. Another day had passed, and Azula was still asleep. Rubbing his face, he wondered if he should go fetch Kala so they could attempt to give her some water. Much longer and Azula would be beyond help.

"This is going to be tough," he said, thinking out loud.

Perhaps he should go get Kala. They hadn't seen any improvement form Azula for the last day and a half. Her fever had broken the day before, but since she hadn't stirred. She needed water to survive, and if they didn't give it to her soon, they would lose her.

"Was life ever easy?" Jet wondered out loud as he stood and walked to the door of the room. Yes, he would go get Kala. They had put it off for long enough.

Suddenly, he heard Azula gasp behind him. Turning, he looked at the Firenation princess and saw her open her eyes. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the ceiling, eyes far away and sad.

He had to admit, she had perfect timing.

Silently, he walked back into the room, sitting beside her bed. Azula didn't look at him; she just looked far away at something he could not see. Gently, he took her hand.

"You're awake," he said softly, "Welcome back."

For the first time since she had opened her eyes, she turned and looked at him and smiled.

"Jet?" she whispered, "You're here."

Jet nodded.

"Yes, I am," he said.

Azula's smile disappeared as a fresh torrent of tears washed her face. She held his hand tightly, almost to the point that it was painful.

"I've seen so much," she cried quietly, "I've seen too much."

"Shhh…" Jet shushed her, "It's all right. It was just a dream."

Azula shook her head and sat up. She let go of his hand to place her face in her hands. She looked as if she was seeing a bad memory over again, trying to block the vision from her mind.

"No," she whispered tearfully, "It wasn't."

Suddenly, she grabbed onto him in a tight embrace. Jet sat there, startled, before wrapping his arms around the shaking girl. Like a child, he rocked her back in forth, shushing her gently as she cried.

"It's over now," he said, "You're here now, and it's all a memory."

…

**Author's Notes:**

**And 17,635 words later, part 9 is finally done! This part was almost the death of me! I have worked at least 15 hours on this. It was the hardest part I've written yet, and my wrists are killing me. Oh well, part nine is done, so they can hurt as much as they want while I brainstorm part 10.**

**There are several reasons why I haven't updated as soon as I should have, most of which no one really cares to hear about. Writer's block (oh, how I loathe thee!) kept me out of the writing phase until mid-July, when I originally started writing this part, but then this lovely little thing called marching band started up again. (Yes, I am a band geek and proud of it! And I'll give official bragging rights to the first person who can guess what instrument I'm playing this year). And once I got into the swing of my new schedule with marching band, school started, and I'm still trying to adjust to that! Finally, I said, "That's it! Labor Day Weekend Azula is going to wake up!" Of course no one around me had any idea what I was talking about…**

**So, yeah. Right now it's about 2 am and I've been sitting at this computer since 3pm. There is something wrong with me I think…**

**Some notes on the story: Yes, I know a lot of you are going to be all "What the heck?" with the Painted Lady/Shape-shifting thing. Yes, I was really "What the heck?" when I started writing it at 3am about 5 weeks ago. Honestly, I debated scrapping it, but I figured since it was the best idea I had had in the last however many months it's been that I should probably go with it. I used a lot of inspiration from the episode where Zuko has his "metamorphosis" or whatever happened to him. But Zuko didn't actually almost get killed. (Well, in my story he did, but you know whatever). And the poem said by the "shadow girl" (don't really have a good name for her yet), can anyone guess where I pulled inspiration for that from? At 2am I don't really like guessing games, so I'll just tell you. Robert Frost. The Road Not Taken. If you have never heard of either of these things, go to Google right now and look them up. Personally, it's one of my favorites, and I definitely recommend reading it. It'll take you two minutes tops. **

**Another thing: Mai. Quite honestly, Mai is one of my favorite characters from the show (and not just because she saved Zuko, though that's a huge plus). And what makes this so odd is because (alright, no body panic or throw stuff at me) I'm a Zutarian *ducks and hides*. But, that being said, I'm tired of just seeing Mai as an obstacle in a Zutara fic. She's totally awesome! Come on she pins people to the wall with knives, but she only hits their clothing! If you can do that, then you can say Mai's not awesome, not before. Actually, this fic was to be a lot (and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT) bigger. It was called "Loose Ends" because it was supposed to tie up ALL of the loose ends of Avatar, and Mai was going to get a huge chunk of the story. But, when I realized it was hard for me to keep up with Azula at times, I decided to finish Azula's story first before even thinking about revisiting the Mai idea. But I wanted her to have a moment in this story as well. ****(P.S. for all of you Zutara shippers/Mai likers, if you want an extra bonus, there's actually another chapter to this story that I cut early on when I decided to focus it around Azula. BUT it still exists on deviantArt. I'm on there with the same user name, and the extra chapter is "Loose Ends: Part 2". Creative right? Every chapter is off by 1 on DA because I never deleted that chapter, but if for some reason you can't access Loose Ends on Fanfiction, I always update on DA as well).**

**[A lot of you might be going "Why are these Author's Notes so freakin' long this time?" at this point. Well, I'll tell you why. It's because I just spent all day writing an update and it's 2am and I'm freakin' insane and I don't care what anyone thinks because you don't have to read the author's notes if you don't want to and I'm really really AHH! right now. That's all (:]**

**There are several people I have to thank. First of all, the reviewers. I would not have gotten this far without you. (For the fanfiction reviewers): I would especially like to thank PassionWorks (your review was so helpful and amazing! I was almost crying!), LifeTimesWorth (you review every single time and every single time you make me smile), Hanban915 (OH MY GOSH! I KNOW RIGHT?), and everyone else who reviewed. Oh, and to Mrealm, do you really want me to answer that question now or would you rather read the story? (Sorry, I hate spoilers!) (For the DeviantART Reviewers): xlollx and Jetzula4eva, you guys are just awesome. Especially xlollx because without you, I would have never moved on to part 2! And again, all the readers, because you took the time to read. **

**Last, but definitely not least, my friend Kylie. She never stops believing in me or telling me that I can write a huge freakin' 17,000 word update (though she said it a little bit nicer than that), or anything. She supports me 115% of the time, even at 3am when I find a centipede in my white chocolate (don't ask, it's a very bad memory *shudders*). In fact, I'm texting her right now to tell her I'm finished with part nine because I know she'll still be all "Yay!" even when she's thinking "I'm going to kill you…" Thanks, Kylie! YOU ARE AMAZING!**

**That's all for now folks! Don't forget to review! Oh, and since this is a freakin' huge part, would it be okay by you if I take the next month off? (Which probably means 3 months, just to let you know…) :P**


	10. Chapter 10

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Ten:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

For the next few weeks things were quiet at the hospital. There was no screaming, no force-fed patients, and no cleaning boys forgetting their places. Dr. Lin was in an especially good mood, going around the wings of the building with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. Any visitor could have been convinced that he was the happiest man in the world from looking at him for just a few seconds. The other nurses and doctors seemed to be more at ease, the rigid sense of buried panic gone from their voices. The gardens were bright with sunshine, and patients were taken out often to breathe in the fresh scent of the springtime air. It was as if everything was perfect.

And it was, for most, but as Kala looked out her window, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. Pink magnolia blossoms, her daughter's favorite flower, bloomed outside, but their bright color and sweet smell couldn't make her smile like they usually did. Spring was usually a sign that things would improve. Winter sickness came to an end, the earth would bloom again, and the warm weather allowed everyone the chance of fresh air. But this spring had new worries that Kala had never encountered before. The monthly patient report she had on her desk was blank, and Kala was unsure for the first time since she had started to write reports what to write.

What could she write about Azula? She had started to eat again. She had been sleeping again. Her breakdowns and screaming episodes had come to an end, even if it was a temporary end. When it came to her health, Azula had improved drastically. She even looked better, her skin not as sallow, her bones not as prominent, and her hair brushed and shiny. But there were other ways that Azula had not improved and had possibly regressed.

Jet had been the first one to see her awake. According to him, Azula had reached out and confided in him briefly. Kala had been overjoyed. In fact, for the next day or two, Azula had talked freely with her and others around her. But suddenly, she had fallen quiet. At first, when the next few days were filled with silence, Kala had thought it was nothing more than a phase as Azula readjusted to the world. But those few days had stretched into weeks, and now Azula spoke to no one. The only time she had spoken was to Dr. Lin when she asked him if she could spend her afternoons in the garden. The doctor had granted her permission, almost too stunned to speak. But since then, Azula hadn't opened her mouth at all. Everyday she was the same, sitting by the turtleduck pond while she stared off into space, her eyes empty and far away.

Kala sighed and brushed a strand of brown hair from her eyes. Everything concerning Azula seemed to be two steps forward and three steps back. This report would determine whether or not Dr. Lin would allow her to continue caring for the girl. The conditions they had set a month ago had seemed simple at the time, but now Kala wasn't so sure.

A sudden knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Yes, come in," she said absentmindedly, straightening the papers in front of her. As she reached to set them in a neat stack, she knocked her ink and brush off of the desk. The ink spilled all over the rug beneath her desk, soaking into the material before she had a chance to pick it up.

Kala knelt to the ground and frantically picked up the brush and bottle. Grabbing a rag, she tried her best to soak up the black ink, but it was obvious it would stain.

The door opened and in walked Dr. Lin. Obviously happy, he had a pleasant expression on his face and was humming a slightly off-pitch tune. Kala cursed her luck. Her report was not written, and she had managed to spill almost a whole bottle of ink right when Dr. Lin had to visit.

Dr. Lin was looking at a piece of paper when he walked up to her desk.

"Oh, Nurse Kala, how are you to…?" he stopped and looked at the empty chair, frowning in confusion. "Nurse Kala? Are you in here?"

Kala stood up from behind the desk, her hands stained from the ink. Her sudden appearance made the doctor jump in surprise. Kala put on her sweetest smile and looked up at him.

"Yes, Dr. Lin," she said, "I am here."

"Oh," the doctor said, "So you are. What were you doing down there?"

Kala showed him the rag. There was no point in lying about it.

"My ink spilled," she said, "I'm afraid it'll stain."

Dr. Lin surprised her with a burst of laughter.

"Oh, no worries, my dear. After all, you have the hospital's cleaning boy in your care! Just have him clean it up!" he chuckled. He pulled up a chair and sat in front of the desk, still grinning like a happy fool.

Kala had heard that the doctor had been acting happy over the past few weeks, but this was more than she had expected.

"I hate to dampen your spirits, Dr. Lin," she said, taking a seat behind her desk, "But Azula's report is not finished yet. I will not be able to get it to you until…"

"Report?" Dr. Lin interrupted, frowning. "Oh, yes! The monthly report! Yes, that's exactly why I came down here."

Kala's heart fell.

"It is?" she said, feeling caught in a trap.

Dr. Lin nodded.

"Oh, yes," he said, "I'm so impressed with your patient's progress! This hospital has its calm and pleasant atmosphere again. And not to mention she's been eating. I hear the dishes that go into her room come out clean!" He laughed and shook his head. "I remember a month ago the dishwashers were complaining of washing the dried food out of her dishes! Now they can't tell if they've been washed already or not!" The doctor burst into another fit of laughter, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his robes.

Kala raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," she said carefully, "We have been very happy that she's eating again. And…"

"And she sleeps at night!" Dr. Lin exclaimed, smiling ear to ear. "She's the first to bed now, isn't she? If only all children slept like her!"

"Yes, indeed, she does, but…"

"And just the other day when she asked me to go outside," Dr. Lin continued, "Spirits, I thought I was going to faint from the shock! She was ever so polite! That would be your doing, wouldn't it? Teaching her manners? Nurse Kala, I am just amazed at your work!"

Kala nodded her head politely.

"Thank you, Dr. Lin, but really…"

"No, no!" he interrupted, "No need to act humble! You have done so well, I am changing the conditions to our agreement! You can have the next two months with Azula before I decide if she'll continue to be in your care for another month. But if this continues, I have no doubt you'll keep her!"

He stood up and nodded his head to her before turning toward the door. Kala stood, stunned, before she managed to get some words out of her mouth.

"But, Dr. Lin! What about the report?" she exclaimed.

Dr. Lin paused as he reached the door and tilted his head as if he were remembering something important.

"Oh, that," he said, turning back around, "That is protocol, isn't it? Writing reports on the patients' progress?"

Kala nodded tiredly.

"Yes, Dr. Lin," she sighed, "You put that rule into effect yourself."

Dr. Lin frowned and scratched his chin.

"Oh, so I did," he said as if he had forgotten the policy he fussed about the most. "Well, write it up and give it to me before next spring."

Kala frowned.

"But you said you wanted reports each month," she reminded him.

Dr. Lin waved the matter off with his hand and snorted.

"For goodness' sake, Kala! I'll write the report up if it worries you that much!" he exclaimed, "Anyone can see she's improved! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to write to the Firelord and tell him of his sister's improvement!"

He turned to walk out of the room, but stopped and reached into his pocket. He pulled out two scrolls and walked back over to her desk.

"These came for you. They're from your children, I take it," he said as he handed the scrolls to her.

Kala's heart leapt. Oh, how long it had been since she had heard from them! The thought of their faces made her eyes prick with tears. It had been hard for them all, living apart from one another. Ever since Su Ling died, it had killed her to let any of them out of her sight. She wrote to them every week, but often they didn't respond until a month or so later. Oh, how she missed them!

"Thank you!" she said heartily, taking the letters with shaking hands.

Dr. Lin nodded.

"It's been a long time since you've seen them," he remarked, "A year maybe?"

Kala nodded silently. It had seemed so much longer. Running her hands over the scrolls, she tried to imagine how they had grown. She wondered it they missed her as much as she missed them.

Dr. Lin tilted his head to one side and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you should go visit them," he suggested, "With all this progress, Azula should be stable enough for you to leave for a short while. A week perhaps?"

Kala shook her head emphatically.

"Oh, no, Dr. Lin, I couldn't leave Azula here! She needs me! What if she breaks down and I'm not here? The other nurses don't know how to handle her, though I mean no offense to your other staff," she said. She cradled the scrolls to her chest, holding them as she would hold her own children.

Dr. Lin shrugged.

"As you wish," he said, "But when you want that visit, just let me know. Children need their mothers, and mothers need their children."

Kala nodded.

"They do," she agreed, "But there are people here that need me just as much. And my children know I love them. I've made sure of that."

With a nod, Dr. Lin turned and walked out of the room, this time shutting the door behind him quietly. Kala breathed a sigh as she turned to her precious letters. With a trembling hand, she opened the first, unrolling it slowly and carefully. She discovered there were four letters rolled up together. She lifted the top one off of the stack and read it. It said:

_Dear Mother,_

_ All is well at home, don't worry. It's spring here in the city. The flowers are blooming, and I've picked some everyday to put in the window. I've done what you said and kept Lily and Shan from killing each other. School has been going well. Oh, Mother, I have the most exciting news! I found out that I'm an earthbender! Father is so happy! He said he'll take me out to practice one day when he's not working. The earthbenders are busy rebuilding the city, as always. It looks beautiful. Father says the Avatar and Toph Bei Fong have been here to help. I asked him if I could help rebuild the city now, but he says I need more practice. One day I will help rebuild Ba Sing Se, though. I know I will. _

_Missing you terribly!_

_Love,_

_Willow_

Kala's heart skipped a beat. Her little Willow was an earthbender! Only five years old, Willow was her youngest child. She had been only four when Kala left for the Firenation, and according to recent letters from her husband and older children, she had grown considerably since the last time she had seen her. Now she was an earthbender, making all her children benders of an element. Her husband was an earthbender as well. She smiled thinking about him taking out little Willow to practice making rocks levitate. Skimming over the letter again, she recognized her other daughter's handwriting. Looking back, she saw the maturity in Willow's words and surmised that her older sister had written a large part of the letter. She guessed Willow was still too little to write her own letters.

The next letter was written with the same handwriting. It said:

_Dear Mother,_

_ I assure you, despite what Willow said in her letter about keeping Shan and me from killing each other, we are not fighting. We merely argue every once in a while. Last week was, as you know, my fourteenth birthday. I received your letter on that day, and it was the best gift I have ever received. Your painting of the magnolias made me smile. I have practiced my painting like I promised you, but I'm not as good as you yet. Father likes to hang up my paintings on the walls. It sort of embarrasses me, because I don't think they're that good. As you know, Willow is now an earthbender. We all discovered this when she hit Shan in the face with a ball of mud without actually touching the mud with her hands. We all thought it was hilarious, except for Shan, of course. Lately, since more and more people are coming into the city from other nations, I've started to teach some Water Tribe children waterbending. Their parents say they're from the North Pole, but neither of them can bend. I don't think they knew their children could. It's good to be able to help people with waterbending. Romma, the mother of the children, says she will write to the North Pole and see if I can travel there with them to learn even more. That is, if it's okay with you. Father says I should. I'm sort of worried, though. Isn't it rather cold up there? In any case, I miss you, and I hope you like the drawing I made for you! _

_Love,_

_Lily_

On the bottom of the page, there was a drawing of a fire lily, bright red and beautiful. Kala sighed. Lily's talent was growing with each day. She used to teach her everyday, but now she had to be content with the pictures that her daughter sent her. It made her proud that Lily was helping others with her bending, but she was wary of sending her to the North Pole to learn. It was even farther away than the Firenation, and she was only fourteen. Then again, Kala figured it would be hard to let go of her daughter no matter her age. Perhaps fourteen was old enough. Kala sighed and put the idea to the back of her mind to think about later.

The next letter was from her son, Shan. It said:

_Mother,_

_ I'm sure you've heard from everyone else that Willow's an earthbender. I won't go into detail about it, but you need to tell her not to throw mud! As usual, life is just lovely. Sort of. There are still people in the city that don't like firebenders. I was out practicing a week or two ago and was nearly chased down by some Earth Kingdom kids. I'm fine, don't worry, just angry. Sometimes I think that the war isn't over and that I still have to hide. Father says they'll learn to see soon, but I don't think they will. Not soon, anyway. But I've been getting better at handling it. I was walking around the city the other day, trying to blow off steam, and I ran into this old man. I honestly didn't mean to, and I helped him pick up the things he dropped. He works at the _Jasmine Dragon_. Have you ever heard of it? Anyway, I helped him carry his stuff back to his tea shop. I don't know how he did it, but he got me talking about being a firebender in Ba Sing Se. He told me that I wasn't alone and that he was firebender as well. You'll never guess who he is. He's Iroh, the Firelord's uncle. He says I'm like his nephew. He offered me a job at the _Jasmine Dragon_, and that he'll teach me more firebending. I also told him about Su Ling. He was the first person in this city that didn't act like it was a shock that she was a firebender when I told him. He asked real questions about her. What did she look like? Did she like tea? What did she like to do? I told him what I could remember about her. I told him I missed her everyday. He told me about his son, who he lost in this war like we lost Su Ling. It's so strange to me. We're so much alike, yet we're so different. He was a part of the nation we were fighting against, but yet he's understood everything I've said. He understands our family. How you went to the Firenation to help people, even though it was the Firenation that took Su Ling away. How all of us kids are benders of different elements, yet we still love each other. How I'm Earth Kingdom, but I'm a firebender. He just understands. Well, this has been a longer letter than I normally write. I miss you, as always. Will you come to visit soon? Master Iroh would like to meet you sometime._

_Love,_

_Shan_

Kala read over the letter twice. It was unusual for her son to write so much. He was seventeen, and was Su Ling's twin. He out of all of her children remembered her best. They had been best friends, and they had put their heads together to teach themselves firebending. When Su Ling had died, it had been especially hard on him. His sister had been like his other half, and now it was hard for him to find anyone to understand him the way she did. It was good to hear that he had found someone to talk to.

The last letter was from her husband, Mo.

_My dearest wife,_

_ It will do no good to try and say how much I miss you, for words will not do it justice. Spring makes me think of you even more, if that is possible. Our children have been doing well, as you probably already know. Willow is an earthbender, and I have promised to take her out for practice. She wants to rebuild Ba Sing Se at five years old. Spirits help me! I have told Lily if you say it is alright, she may go to the North Pole in a year to study waterbending. I think it will be good for her, as neither of us can teach her anything. She's blossomed into a beautiful young woman; I know you would be proud. She says her paintings are no good, but they are brilliant. Shan has met a firebending master, as I'm sure he's told you. Master Iroh has straightened him out, I think. He's doing better in school and doesn't get into fights anymore. And he's thoughtful. Who would have thought Shan, of all people, would ever be thoughtful? In any case, Iroh has invited me to tea to talk about him. He thinks there are some opportunities for him to help in the rebuilding process. There's a need for firebenders, but the people are still uneasy about trusting the Firenation. Iroh thinks Shan could bring them together. I've been well. I've gotten used to playing "Mother". They still like your cooking better. I told them I put just as much love into my cooking as you do, but they said I don't put enough sugar into it. Will you please send me one of your recipes? On a sadder note, it was Shan's birthday today. It should have been a happy occasion, but the fact that it was Su Ling's birthday as well hung over us like a cloud. How long has it been since we celebrated this day with her? Seven years? Some days it seems like it hasn't been that long. Other days it seems longer. In any case, Shan had asked us not to celebrate, and Lily and I had decided to respect his wishes. But I came home from work to find magnolia blossoms strewn across the doorstep and on the windows. Willow said we shouldn't forget her sister's birthday, even if Shan didn't want to celebrate his. She ran all around the house, scattering petals everywhere she went. She never knew her, but yet she talked and celebrated like they had been the best of friends. Apparently, she remembered when you told her that magnolias were Su Ling's favorite flowers. Lily and I sat and went along with her party, but Shan left halfway through. It was too much for him. It's still hard for all of us, but especially for him. Some days I don't know what to do with him. He doesn't want to talk to me, because he's afraid I won't be proud of him if he isn't strong all the time. Unfortunately, he's just like me when I was his age. I think Iroh has a natural gift of dealing with teenagers, because as far as I can see, they're impossible. I wish you would visit soon. We all miss you. But we also understand what you're doing and why you're doing it. We all wish we were a little more like you and Su Ling. Continue to write often, if you can. The children love your letters._

_I'm always thinking of you._

_Love,_

_Mo_

Kala ran her fingers over his words, trying to feel where his hands had moved across the page. Oh, how she missed him. She hadn't forgotten Shan and Su Ling's birthday. It had felt so strange to let the day pass without saying anything about it. Somehow, she had known that Shan wouldn't want to celebrate. When she was home, they celebrated more for her sake than anything else. But even seven years later, Su Ling's absence could still be felt in their home. Shan felt guilty about being the survivor. There wasn't a day that went by that Shan didn't think of his sister. He had been her other half, how could he not?

A small tear rolled down her cheek as she read about Willow celebrating her sister's birthday. Another followed when she read about Shan's reaction. Perhaps she did need to visit her children. Perhaps they did need to see her again. What point was there in helping people of another nation when her own family was hurting at home without her?

Wiping her eyes on her sleeve, Kala rolled up the letters and placed them in her letter box, the box where she kept all the letters from her family. When she turned her attention back to the remaining scroll, she frowned in confusion. Her entire family had each written a letter already. What was this one for?

Curious, she untied the red ribbon that was wrapped around it and unrolled the parchment. The letter was written in neat, precise handwriting, handwriting that she did not recognize. She started to read it, and knew at once that something wasn't right.

When she had read through it once, Kala read it again. Her heart beating like a drum, she shook her head disbelievingly.

"Oh, Spirits," she murmured as she stood up and made for the door quickly, "Help us."

…

A torrent of petals blew for the air as the wind shook the magnolia tree. Some of the petals drifted to the soft, green grass below the tree. Some fell into the still water of the turtleduck pond. And some landed in the dark, raven hair of the girl sitting below the tree, protected from the warm sun's rays by the tree's blossom-laden branches.

Absentmindedly, Azula tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, allowing the petals to fall from her hair into her lap. She sighed quietly and brushed them away, her eyes never moving from the clear water of the pond. It was as she saw something in the glassy surface that no one else could see, and whatever it was, it consumed the majority of her days.

Azula was unaware of the watchful eyes that studied her from above. Concealed high up in the magnolia sat Jet, observing the silent princess as he had for the past few days. Each day he came out to the tree early in the morning and waited for her to arrive. He stayed all through the day until after the sun had set and Azula had returned inside. Only then would he carefully descend from the high branches and return indoors. Each day he waited for her to break her silent meditation, but each day brought only disappointment.

_What could she be thinking about?_ he wondered as he sighed quietly. What could possibly fill her thoughts for weeks on end? For reasons he couldn't explain, Azula's silence frustrated him. Moments after she had woken from days of sleeping, she had spoken to him. Spirits, she had even grabbed onto him like she was afraid to let go. He had thought… He didn't know what he had thought. All he knew that when a day later she had turned away from Kala, from the hospital staff, from _him_, he had felt like an invisible wall had been built overnight.

Perhaps this was her way of recovering. Maybe he was just being selfish. He remembered the heartbroken expression on her face when she had woken. Whatever she had seen had affected her considerably. Maybe she was still seeing it. The idea of a waking nightmare was not unfamiliar to Jet. After all, he had had his share of them.

But what would cause her to forsake all contact with those around her? For two days after her sudden wakening, Azula had spoken to Kala with ease. She had looked at people in the eyes and nodded to them as they passed her. He had seen her eyes shine with a certain pleasantness that was neither happiness nor sadness, though it was definitely an improvement. But suddenly the shine had disappeared, and a hard, empty gaze had replaced it. It was as if she was a ghost, floating silently through the halls and through the garden.

Jet let out a tired sigh and laid his head against the trunk of the tree. There was something that was causing this quiet isolation, but he had no idea how to figure out what it was.

Suddenly, Azula shook her head fiercely. Gasping, she scrambled along the bank, her hands raking the bank frantically. Whatever she was looking for, she found it. Her forceful throw shattered the still waters of the pond, sending the turtleducks into a terrified frenzy. Azula stood and stared at the ripples that shattered her reflection, her chest heaving and her teeth gritted in a face of grim defiance. Her hands, muddy from searching for a stone Jet realized, were clenched at her sides. For a moment, everything seemed to balance on the tip of a knife, close to falling into disarray. Jet held his breath as he watched, feeling the tension in the air from where he sat in the tree.

Then her hands relaxed, and the moment was over. Her face fell back into the perfect mask she wore so well, looking at her muddy fingers with tired indifference. Jet let out a sigh of relief. Azula looked up for a moment, as if she had heard him. Her eyes scanned the branches, and Jet kept as still as he could. He was an expert at hiding in trees, but for a moment, he thought she had found him. Her gold eyes lingered right on the spot where he was hiding. He could feel their gaze through the layers of petals, and his heart skipped a beat. Silence hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. Then Azula's eyes moved and continued to scan the trees. She had looked right over him.

Azula sighed quietly and looked briefly back at the pond. Then she left the shady shelter of the magnolia and walked back toward the hospital. Jet watched her go, knowing she would be back the next day.

…

That night, Jet didn't see Kala. Wanting to tell her of Azula's strange behavior, he searched everywhere he could think of but to no avail. When he asked Kobe if he had seen the nurse, Kobe shook his head and said that he hadn't, but he had heard she had been talking to Dr. Lin earlier that day. Curious more than worried, Jet walked the hall that led to Dr. Lin's rooms. When he reached the doctor's door, he frowned at the note that hung there.

_Important matters are at hand. Please come again later or leave a note with Nurse Meri. _

Jet screwed up his face. Meri was in charge of all papers, mail, and any other paperwork that came into the hospital. She was an unpleasant woman and not a fan of his. Jet did not care much for her in turn, and he would much rather wait for Kala and Dr. Lin to return than bother the disagreeable nurse.

When he went to the kitchens to take Azula her dinner, he found Kobe sitting at the table alone, frowning at a piece of paper in his hand. His face was creased with lines of concentration, his fingers tapping the table absentmindedly. It was an unusual sight to see Kobe looking serious and so lost in thought. It gave Jet an uneasy feeling as he walked past him.

"What's that? Last minute patient report?" Jet teased as he stirred the pot of soup, making sure it wasn't burning. The ladle scraped the bottom, and Jet immediately knew by the vegetables sticking to the pot that it hadn't been stirred in a while.

"Kobe! Were you even paying attention to this?" he exclaimed, stirring the soup with a little more force. "I'm no cook, but even I know blackened lumps aren't supposed to be a part of this!"

Kobe didn't smile or even look at Jet. Instead, he continued to stare at the paper like it was a riddle he couldn't solve. He bit his lip thoughtfully, shaking his head.

"You know how you asked me if I had seen Kala?" he said, not taking his eyes off of the paper.

Jet frowned as he ladled the soup into a bowl. He tossed out the questionable lumps of meat or vegetables and hoped the taste hadn't been affected.

"Yes," he said responded, stirring the pot and picking out more ruined lumps of what used to be food, "You haven't found her have you?"

Kobe shook his head.

"No, I haven't. But you got me thinking. When was the last time we couldn't find Kala? I mean, when was the last time she wasn't around? The woman's constantly working. She doesn't take a break for anything," Kobe said thoughtfully.

Jet frowned. Kobe was right. Kala rarely took a break or went out without making sure everyone knew she would be gone. Seeing where Kobe was going, he placed the bowl of soup on the table and took a seat across the table from his friend.

"You think something's wrong?" he said, eyeing the paper in Kobe's hand with more interest.

Kobe shrugged, looking up at him.

"I don't know," he said, "But I've never known Kala to leave when there's a patient in her care, especially one like Azula." He slid the paper across the table to Jet. "Read it. Tell me what you think."

Curious, Jet picked up the paper. Immediately, he recognized Kala's handwriting.

_Kobe, _

_ I will be gone for the next few days. I'm putting you on kitchen duty while I'm gone. There's enough bread to last for a day, but you will have to bake more after that. You know where I keep my recipes (I know you sneak around the kitchens while I'm not looking), and I trust you know how to make a few basic meals. Also, since Jet is not a nurse, I need you to act as Azula's nurse while I'm gone. Just poke your head in once in a while to make sure she's still breathing. Jet will handle the rest. Keep out of trouble, and keep Jet out of Meri's hair. She's in charge while Dr. Lin is gone. _

_Kala_

"Well, she didn't need to worry about me bothering Meri," Jet said, sliding the note back across the table, "That woman could curdle milk."

"That's not the point, Jet," Kobe said, taking the note and staring at it once again, "Dr. Lin and Kala are both gone, and they didn't tell anyone they were leaving. Doesn't that seem a bit strange to you?"

Before he gave Jet the chance to answer, he took out another piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to him.

"This one's for you. You should thank me for saving you a visit with Meri," he said, eyeing him meaningfully.

Jet snorted.

"Believe me, it means more to me than words can express," Jet said dryly, taking the note from Kobe. This one, like Kobe's, was written in Kala's neat, careful writing.

_Jet, _

_ For the next few days I will be attending to important matters that cannot wait. I trust you'll stay out of trouble. Meri is not in a good mood…_

"Is Meri ever in a good mood?" Jet said tiredly, looking up at Kobe, "Why is it that everyone thinks I'm going to bother an old witch like her?"

Kobe rolled his eyes.

"Because you're the cleaning boy, that's why," Kobe said.

"But that shouldn't…"

"Oh, be quiet and read the letter, Jet!" Kobe said irritably.

Jet bit his tongue to stop himself from expressing his opinion of the old nurse and turned back to Kala's message.

_...and I don't want her close to any of my patients, especially Azula. I know you will be curious to know why I have left, but I'm afraid I cannot say anything about it now, especially not in a note like this. I promise I will tell you soon. In the meantime, take care of Azula. Though she has not spoken to any of us lately, it might be beneficial to talk to her. I'm afraid she might regress if she always sits by herself in her own world. Her silence worries me. Try to figure out what is on her mind, but don't push her. She'll turn on you if she feels threatened, and with Meri in charge, that is the last thing we need. Take care!_

_Kala_

Rubbing his neck, Jet scanned the letter twice through. He tried to pick out some sort of secret meaning to her words, but if there was any, he couldn't find it. It was unlike Kala to leave without notice and without very specific instructions for him. Usually, her instructions were so precise they were frustrating, not leaving any room to mess up or get away with anything. This time, her note was almost vague with only a few things to do. It wasn't like Kala.

"She left in a hurry," he said out loud, looking back up at Kobe, "She hasn't tied me up with all her to-dos and rules like she usually does."

Kobe frowned, and shook his head.

"That's what I thought when I read it. The last time she left you so much wiggle room was your first week here before you met Meri," he said, taking the note from Jet and looking over it, "And we all know how that turned out."

Jet grimaced. It hadn't been a good week.

"Don't remind me. I… Wait, you read it already?" he asked, eyeing his friend with surprise.

Kobe snorted and tossed the note back.

"Don't sound so shocked. Of course I read it. I didn't go through Meri to get that note just to keep it folded in my pocket," he said. "I wanted to see if Kala had told you anything that she hadn't told me. Like you said, she's usually very detailed in her messages."

"But she didn't tell me anything," Jet sighed, "We don't know anything."

Kobe shrugged helplessly.

"She told us a few things. You're supposed to take care of Azula and try to get her to talk. I'm supposed to pretend to take charge of the situation. Not that difficult, is it?" he said.

Jet laughed grimly.

"Yeah, really easy. I just have to get a girl that won't look me in the eye anymore to tell me what's on her mind. Oh, and did I mention she's mentally unstable and if I try too hard, she'll have a mental breakdown? Piece of cake. Not even a bit challenging," he said sarcastically. Looking up, he added, "Really, Kobe? This is _that_ difficult. Kala's the one who understands it all. I'm just the cleaning boy."

Kobe shrugged and gave him an apologetic look.

"I don't know what to say," he said as he rose from his seat to stir the soup, "It's just a few days. We can last that long. Kala will tell us when she comes back if it's anything important."

"Since when have you been an optimist?" Jet asked, rubbing his face tiredly. A lot could happen in a few days. In a few days, the whole hospital could be in a complete wreck. In a few days, Azula could stop eating again. In a few days, Kobe could have poisoned the whole hospital with his cooking. Yes, a lot could happen in a few days.

Kobe shot him a glare.

"Pardon me for trying to see a brighter side to this," he snapped, "Why don't you take that soup to Azula before she starves?" He nodded to the bowl on the table next to Jet.

Jet smirked and scooped up the bowl in one hand.

"Of course, _Kala_, I'd be happy to," he said sarcastically, knowing the perfect way to get under Kobe's skin, "Since you are such a good cook with your blackened vegetable soup."

"Why, you little…"

Kobe swung at him with the ladle, but Jet avoided the blow easily. Though he couldn't fight, his reflexes were still quick. Kobe swung at him again and again, but Jet danced beyond his reach, chuckling at his friend's slow attacks. Scowling, Kobe pointed at the door with the ladle.

"Get!" he said, "And don't be calling me Kala!"

Jet laughed quietly.

"At least she wouldn't burn dinner," he said under his breath.

As he turned for the door, an icy spray of water hit him in the back of the neck. It sent a shiver down his spine, making him jump in surprise.

"Hey!" he shouted, rubbing his neck furiously, "Water's uncalled for!"

It was Kobe's turn to laugh. As he set the pitcher of water back on the shelf, he waved Jet out of the room. A content smile spread across his face as he did so.

"You might be faster, cleaning boy, but I have better aim," he said, "Now go run along before I use the whole pitcher."

…

Standing by her window, Azula watched the sun fade in the distance, leaving behind a trail of painted sky as it sank below the horizon. Another day was done. The sun had traveled across the sky once again, and she had barely felt it.

Wasn't the storm supposed to help her regain her bending? Wasn't it supposed to help her recover? It seemed that nothing had changed. Well, almost nothing. Before the storm, she hadn't seen faces wherever she looked.

They had started appearing a day after she had woken. The first one she saw was an old man, the old man she had seen in the prison, the one she couldn't help. He pleaded and pleaded for help, but she could do nothing for him. The next was a child's tear-stained face. The next was a woman she didn't know. They kept coming, never stopping. As soon as one vanished, another appeared. The first day, she had dealt with them silently, using all of her energy to block them out. Unfortunately, their voices were hard to ignore.

Soon, she couldn't stand to see any faces, real or not. Talking made her sick. Her head spun from all of the sounds. It was hard to hear what someone was saying with all the voices talking at once. Finally, she couldn't stand it. Against her beliefs, she had politely asked Dr. Lin to allow her outside. When his permission had been granted, Azula had bolted from the hospital doors. She had run through the garden, not caring if anyone followed her. She had kept going until she had felt the world spin around her.

She had grabbed onto a branch of the magnolia to hold her up, nausea threatening to overcome her. Right when she had thought she could take no more, they had vanished. Confused more than relieved, she had let go of the branch and walked underneath the tree's shade. She had been by the turtleduck pond. It was a sweet-smelling, calm place with the pink blossoms of the tree falling into the pond. Azula had sat near the water's edge, wondering what it was about the shady retreat that had made the faces vanish. As a pink flower had drifted into the water's surface, Azula had dared to look at her reflection in the pool.

Suddenly, the feeling of peace had vanished at what she saw. Staring back at her had been her face, but not her reflection.

Just remembering the face made Azula shiver. It had been perfect, flawless in every way. It had glossy hair pulled back to reveal a face with a perfect, creamy complexion, rosy lips and glittering gold eyes. So stunned had she been that she hadn't been able to look away when the face had smirked at her and opened her lips.

"Coward," the perfect Azula had mouthed silently.

The face had soon been replaced by another and another after that. But none of these faces had possessed the ability to speak. Their faces were trapped beneath the surface, and their voices could not penetrate it. It was unnerving and terrifying, but whenever she left the shady retreat, the faces appeared before her eyes and began speaking again. She picked the silent option.

The only time they vanished was when the sun set, and now, as the last rays melted into the blue-black sky, Azula found herself welcoming the night. How peculiar it was to have the dark she once feared become the thing she anticipated the most.

"Perhaps I have lost my bending," she said softly, "Perhaps I can't be at peace with the sun anymore."

But hadn't the Lady said…? No, it had been a dream. Just a dream. Just a foolish, childish dream that she had hoped to be real. Nothing had changed. Nothing would change. There was no proof that the storm had ever been real, and her best option was to forget about it. Dreams were for fools, and she had been a fool to believe a dream could change her destiny.

A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts. Before she could answer, the door opened, and a head of messy brown hair poked inside the room. Silently, Jet slipped into the room, set down a bowl of soup and moved back toward the door.

Irritated that he hadn't had the decency to ask her permission, Azula huffed and crossed her arms.

"Can I help you?" she asked flatly.

Jet froze and looked her way. For a moment, he reminded her of child being caught sneaking sweets, like she used to do when she was younger. But then he straightened and seemed to gain some of his composure back.

"My apologies," he said shortly, his words precise and polite. "I thought you were asleep."

Azula raised her eyebrows. She slept _once_ for an extended period of time, and now everyone assumed that she slept soundly every night.

"Not yet," she said, "Why should I be? The sun just set."

Jet looked out the window at the dark sky and nodded.

"Yes, I suppose that's true," he said.

For what seemed like several minutes, they stood in an uneasy silence. Several times Azula considered telling him to leave, but decided against it. Here was a face that wasn't disturbing. She might as well let it stay. Taking a breath, she sighed and shrugged.

"If both of us are going to bother to be in each other's presence for more than a few moments," she said, meeting his eyes, "There might as well be a conversation to make the time pass."

Jet blinked in surprise.

"I… I suppose," he stammered.

Azula sighed irritably. This was going to be a difficult conversation if he did nothing but agree with her.

"Don't agree with me," she snapped, "Conversations go nowhere when there is only agreement, like the little servants that used to scurry around the palace. It was always 'Yes, my lady,' or 'Yes, I believe you're right as always, Azula,' or 'Good idea, Princess!' It was as if they had no minds of their own!"

She froze, realizing what she had just said. She had only ever complained of the servants' disobedience, never of their obedience.

"But then again, I suppose that was how it was supposed to be," she added softly.

Jet frowned and tilted his head to the side, as if he were pondering something.

"Then I will disagree with you," he said carefully, "That wasn't how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to disagree with every word you said."

Azula felt the corners of her lips lift in a slight smirk. Perhaps he knew how to play this game.

"No, they were not. They were supposed to be good conversationalists. A conversation doesn't survive on agreement or disagreement alone. It survives with the right mix of questions, compliments, a difference of opinion, and an occasional joke or suggestion," she said, "Though I try to stay away from the jokes. My sense of humor is nonexistent."

Jet crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"But you just told me to disagree with you to make a conversation," he pointed out.

"No, I only told you not to agree with me, not all the time in any case," she said. She watched him carefully for his reaction, but his face didn't give much away.

Jet nodded, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"I see," he said, "And how did you come across the perfect equation for conversation?"

Azula rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I was only told every single day of my life growing up," she said with a tired sigh, "I don't understand much about people, other than how to manipulate them, but I do understand politics and diplomacy." She remembered the days of lessons about how to be a lady. How to sit up straight, how to walk, how to talk, how to win an argument without making the other person feel like they lost. She had hated those days, even if they had done her well.

"So are you manipulating me now with this… conversation?"

Azula snorted.

"Now why would I do that?" she asked, "What purpose would there be?"

Jet shrugged and smirked.

"Well, I do know a thing or two about this hospital. I would be a valuable ally if you wanted to know how this place runs," he said.

"But do you hold any real power as the cleaning boy?" she asked, sizing him up to decide if he really did have any sort of authority.

Jet laughed.

"Yeah, the power of the mop," he said sarcastically, "No, I'm basically as low as you can get around here."

"Besides being a patient," she pointed out.

"At least you get the good food," he said, pointing at the bowl of soup, "And you can sleep as late as you want, go wherever you want… Well, not _wherever _you want, but you can go to the garden. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems better than scrubbing your hands raw every day."

Azula pursed her lips thoughtfully as she considered his words. She had heard the expression that the grass was always greener on the other side, but she wasn't sure that she had it any better than he did. In some ways she did, apparently, but in other ways, she would give anything to be in his position.

As the silence stretched between them, Jet moved to the chair in the corner of the room.

"So I suppose you wouldn't try to manipulate me," he said, "I'm not high enough on the food chain. But I would like to put in a request for a change in the conversation. How come you never talk like this? This is the first time I've heard you speak in weeks, and you've never spoken to anyone like this."

Azula sighed and moved to sit on the bed. Of course, he would have a question like that. She knew what he was really saying. "Why aren't you crazy? Why aren't you that insane little girl I met when I first saw you?" She didn't know whether to be angry or to be hurt.

"I'm not crazy," she said bluntly, "Okay? I'm messed up, I see things, I have strange dreams, but I'm not crazy."

"I never said you were."

"It was implied," she snapped.

She raised her eyes to him, daring him to disagree with her. Jet kept his face empty and his eyes emotionless. Reading him was like staring at a wall. The only things you learned from it was what color it was and that it was standing in your way. She hated people like that. They never gave any indication as to when they were going to strike.

"In any case," she continued, "No one really cares to speak to me anyway, and I don't care to speak to anyone."

"Why?" Jet asked.

His question caught her off guard. Why? She thought it was obvious. His ignorance seemed so unbelievable that she laughed quietly. The laughter grew, and it wasn't long before she was holding her side from raucous giggling. Perhaps she was crazy if one little question could send her into a fit of hysterical laughter.

Jet obviously didn't find it funny. He crossed his arms and frowned, looking very serious in contrast to her doubled-over laughing figure.

"Did I miss something?" he asked, seeming very puzzled.

Azula straightened and wiped her eyes, which had grown moist with tears of laughter.

"Yes, yes, you must have!" she exclaimed, "Everyone knows why no one can stand me! Even I know that! And it's obvious why I can't stand to talk to anyone!"

Jet stared at her incredulously.

"You're laughing… about this," he said softly, shaking his head, "I don't know how you can pass it off as something funny."

"I'm the Princess of the Firenation!" Azula said, "I've destroyed hundreds of lives. I've manipulated everyone I've ever met. I've helped this war take its toll on all of the nations. I'm the most hated person in the world, except for maybe my father. And yet you cannot see that. That is very curious… very curious indeed."

She stood and walked back over to the window. It was now pitch black outside. The little stars shone dimly against the blanket of the night sky. She knew the stars. She knew them from all of the astrology that had been forced into her head. She had always been told she could use them to find her way. Now, she knew she had been told wrong.

"And I can't stand to talk to anyone because…" she said in a voice so soft she barely made any noise. She let her voice fade away. She didn't really care to think about the reasons.

"Because why?" Jet asked from behind her.

Azula swallowed and shook her head, her eyes watching the faint stars with an empty gaze.

"Because I can't stand to admit it to myself that… that I don't understand anything. All the lessons, all the training… It really doesn't amount to much anymore. I see other patients talking with the nurses and doctors… They can understand each other, and I can't understand anyone."

She heard Jet stand up and take a few steps.

"You really can't stand to talk to anyone?" he asked.

Azula shook her head.

"No," she said shortly.

"Well, you could have fooled me."

She turned and looked at him. He was standing in the doorway with a slight smile on his face.

"I have to go," he said. He gestured to her soup. "I won't say you have to eat that, but I would recommend it. And try to sleep." He took a step out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

Azula frowned at his words. Deciding she didn't want to ponder their meaning all night, she ran after him.

"Wait!" she said, stopping outside her room. The corridor was so that she couldn't see much at all. She could barely see Jet as he headed down the hall. His tall figure wall was nearly invisible in the dim light.

"Yes?" he said, his voice coming from somewhere in the darkness.

"What did you mean when you said I could have fooled you?" she asked.

Out of the dark, the Jet came into view as he stepped closer to her.

"You've been talking to me since sunset, Azula," he said, "And I didn't have to drive the conversation."

When she didn't say anything for a few moments, he nodded and continued walking down the hallway, leaving her in the doorway with too much on her mind.

It was true. She had talked to him, and she had enjoyed the conversation, despite the fact that she had to admit things about herself that she didn't want to think about. Confusion welled up inside of her as she stepped back into her room, shutting the door behind her. She didn't understand people. But more than that, she didn't understand herself.

Back in her room, Azula took the bowl of soup and managed a few bites before deciding that she was too distracted to eat. Feeling oddly drained both emotionally and physically, she snuffed out the little light that illuminated her room and crawled into her bed. She stretched her arms under her pillow and closed her eyes…

…And felt something cold against her hand.

Suddenly she was wide awake. She hadn't left anything under her pillow, and she could see no reason why anyone else would either. Sitting up, Azula reached under her pillow and pulled out a length of chain and with a small figure attached to it. Running her fingers over it in amazement, she traced its familiar shape. She didn't need a light to tell what it was.

It was the necklace given to her by the shadow girl.

…

**Author's Notes:**

**So… First of all, sorry for that several-month hiatus. I really did intend to start writing part ten immediately, but time sort of got away from me. The good news is I have the story more or less planned out from here, so hopefully chapters will come a bit quicker this time. **

**As for this part, I personally don't think it was as interesting as the last few chapters. There's a lot of stuff coming up, though, so I needed a sort of transition. I've actually put in some research about psychosis and other mental problems, which wasn't the sunniest of topics to research, and I didn't get much of a chance to use it much in this part. In the future, though I have a feeling I'll be using it. Overall, this part was sort of low-key. Hopefully it didn't bore you to tears.**

**As always, there are several people to thank. First of all, Kylie, my editor, for reading this several times and pointing out my mistakes (She almost knows this story's timeline better than I do). And the reviewers for their advice and opinions, especially Passionworks who has given me a lot of tips and tricks that have helped me a ton with this story. And xlollx and LifeTimesWorth and all those people that always read and review. What would I do without you guys? (Probably lack a lot of motivation). And the readers for reading, despite these long breaks I tend to take. That's it! Hopefully part 11 will be up soon!**

**P.S. For those who were wondering, I play tuba. LifeTimesWorth gets the cookie for guessing trombone. **


	11. Chapter 11

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Eleven:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar: the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

Alone in the dark, she sat with the strange necklace in her hand, the idea of sleep now long gone from her mind. Never before had such an odd combination of feelings swept over her, and if it weren't for the sharp pain of the edge of the cold metal digging into her palm from squeezing it too tight, Azula would have thought she was once again dreaming.

She felt relieved. The vivid vision of the storm had not been just a dream. It had not been all together real, but at least it was more than the hopeful illusions of her imagination. But at the same time, knowing that what she had experienced was more than a dream terrified her, as she had to admit to herself the existence of things that she had once deemed impossible.

She felt giddy, a repressed chuckle bottled up in her chest. Perhaps it was because if she did not laugh she would scream aloud in terror. At the same time, she felt a crawling, pressing foreboding curl up in her heart, warning her that the storm's message had more weight behind it than she had previously given thought to.

"This is ridiculous," she whispered to herself. "It isn't possible. It can't be real."

But she couldn't deny the reality of the necklace clenched in her hand.

Forcing herself to take a breath, Azula tried to calm her racing mind. Perhaps the storm was real, but what difference did it make? Everything that she had seen in the storm hadn't been made of stone-hard truth. The scene with Zuko, the scene with Mai and Ty Lee, and the scene with Ozai couldn't have been real. They might have symbolized something, but they hadn't actually happened.

But as soon as this reasoning began to help soothe her uneasy thoughts, Azula remembered the last thing she had seen before she had woken up. The scene the Lady had showed her of her parents.

_"It is an actual truth that has been granted to you, not a mere memory or scene created with your mind."_

The Lady's words rang through her mind, and she shivered. A part of her, the part of her that was the least changed from the storm, deemed it as nonsense. But another part of her, a bigger part of her, knew this was not the case. The necklace clenched in her hand somehow made the Lady's words seem much more real than before.

Of all of the things she had seen in the storm, it had been the last scene that had upset her the most. It went against everything she knew. For so long she had _known_ her father was an unstoppable force that did not bother to waste his time with love. She had _known _that he didn't care for beauty or tenderness. And in the storm, she had _known _that he was a monster. She had _known _her mother hadn't loved her. She had _known _she had always thought she was a monster. And by her absence in the storm, she had _known _that she still did not care for her. The only thing she cared for was Zuko.

But the scene, the scene of her birth, challenged all of those things that were known to her. Suddenly, her father wasn't a monster, but a man in love with his wife who was caring toward his family. Her mother wasn't one who was always absent from her life, but one who had loved her from the start. Azula's head spun with conflicting ideas. What did she know? Was there anything that she knew for certain?

_Yes, _she decided with a snort, _I know I'm trapped in this hospital. _

Sighing, she laid back down on the bed. She knew it would be in her best interest to sleep, but it would not come to her. Her mind would not be silenced, and thought after thought kept her awake.

_Have I betrayed my father?_ she asked herself. _If he isn't a monster, does that mean I have been a treacherous daughter?_

In the scene, he had been kind and gentle, but Azula could not recall a moment in her memory where her father had been so caring. She remembered the long lessons, the drills, the onslaught of war tactics he hounded her with. She could not recall a time when he had been anything other than a teacher, a teacher of war. It was as if the Ozai she knew and the Ozai she saw in the scene were two different people.

And her conscience was another problem. After the storm, she had felt justified for taking actions against Ozai in the dream. She had not questioned whether pulling away from him was right or wrong. Now, after finding the necklace, she doubted herself. Was he such a monster? Now her actions seemed questionable, and she didn't know if she was right or wrong. Two different realities were placed before her, and she was not sure which one to believe.

She lay awake for what seemed like hours. Finally, deciding she was not going to let her thoughts disturb her until the sun rose, she sat up and placed her bare feet on the cold floor. In the dim light, she could see very little, and she had to squint to make out her room. The bowl of soup that Jet had left her the night before was still half full. Her stomach rumbled at the sight of food, but she had no desire to eat the now cold broth.

"I'll eat tonight," she said decidedly, hoping no one would have a fit over her skipping a meal. It was so curious how one person's eating habits could be the focus of so many people.

Before she left the room, she clasped the necklace around her neck and tucked it under her gown. She had considered hiding it in her room, but the fear that someone would find it stopped her. She could not consider getting rid of it, for as much she wished to throw it away, she could not bear to part with it.

It did not occur to her where she would go when she left her room in the middle of the night. If she had been at the palace, she could have walked wherever she wished and found a servant or two along the way. The halls would have been lit with flickering torches, and there would have been a sense of comfort despite the enormity of the palace. In the hospital, things were vastly different. The halls were dark and empty. Her quiet steps echoed across the floor, and a feeling of uneasiness crept up along her spine. But, she decided, it was better than letting her thoughts bother her all night long.

In the middle of the night, the faces did not bother her, so her mind was left to its own. Her old curiosity pricked up again when she realized that there was more to the hospital than she had originally thought. She had known that there was a south wing and a garden and a wall around that garden, but the rest of the hospital had never sparked her interest. Now, alone in the middle of the night, Azula was free to explore.

Quietly, she crept along the different wings of the hospital, blending in with the shadows. It soon became a game to her. She would test her sense of direction by starting in one spot and then taking several different turns at random. After she was good and lost, she would turn around and find her way back to the spot she started at. To her delight, she found her sense of direction was still sharp.

Once or twice, she did see a nurse. The first time had nearly scared her out of her wits when she had turned a corner and had almost run right into a male nurse who had his back to her. She narrowly avoided colliding with him and turned back the way she had come before he noticed her.

_You fool! _she chided herself, _Of course there's nurses up! This is a hospital! They'll be checking on patients to make sure they haven't died! _

From that point onward, she proceeded with caution, but she still took an occasional risk. Sometimes, she would stop in a hall and hide in the shadows as a nurse passed her just to see if she would be noticed. She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of Jet or Kobe, but if they were awake and roving the halls like she was, she did not run into them.

Eventually, she realized the hospital was very simply laid out. There were four or five wings. The South Wing, which was more southwest to the center of the hospital, was the longest of the wings. She knew this wing the best, for her room was in it. North of the South Wing, there was the North Wing. Except for a few intersections between the two wings, the two wings were connected by one hall running north and south. The main hall dividing the two wings ran east and west. To the west, there was a smaller wing that was blocked by a single locked door.

_That must be where all the nurses and Dr. Lin sleep_, she decided. For a moment, she wondered if Jet slept there, too, or if he was given a room in a different room since he was just a cleaning boy. But she brushed this thought aside to continue with her exploration of the rest of the hospital.

There was a big room in the middle of the hospital which Azula knew as the common room. It was strange not to see anyone in the big room, but she was happy for it. There was too much to explore to be interrupted by someone. While she was on her way out of the room, though, she thought she saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. When she turned, however, there was no one there.

There were two parts to the East Wing. There was a smaller part that pointed to the north and one that pointed to the south. Combined, these two wings were almost the same size of South Wing. Before the East Wing, there was another locked door. Azula did not know what to think of this door. Perhaps it led to the kitchens.

The door to the garden was back in the main common room, facing the south. The door was locked, preventing her from exploring the garden, but she wasn't too upset. There was still a lot to explore.

One thing that confused Azula was the fact that she could not find a main door to the hospital. No matter how many times she searched the wings, she could not find a door that looked like it opened up to the outside world. It would be a bigger door, she decided, but none fit her expectations. If Zuko had been able to visit, there had to be a door for him to come in. Patients also needed a door to come into the hospital. She strained her mind to try and remember how she had entered the hospital when she had arrived, but she found she could not recall anything.

Another thing that she wondered about was the fact that she couldn't seem to find any rooms that seemed fit for surgeries or examinations other than the one in which Dr. Lin and the nurses had tried to feed her. But she knew there would have to be more than one. She made a note to find out from Jet or Kala the next time she saw them.

How many hours passed she did not know, but she guessed by the thin, grey light that filtered through the windows in the common room that morning was approaching, though she guessed the sun would not rise for another hour. Azula did some quick calculations in her head and decided she had time for another walk around the entire building and return to her room before the faces came. She would have rather gone straight to the garden, but seeing as the door was locked, she would have to wait in the room until it was opened.

Unfortunately, her night-time wandering was not to go unnoticed. As she was rounding the turn that would lead her back to the South Wing, a hand grabbed her by the shoulder suddenly. Azula bit back a scream of surprise and turned to see who it was. She had a feeling that it was either Jet or Kobe, but upon seeing the figure in front of her, she realized how wrong that feeling had been.

Azula was not a people person, but even she understood that the woman standing in front of her was not very likeable. She was a thin woman with pinched lips and black hair with strands of grey pulled back into a very tight knot. Her hairline was receding, perhaps because she pulled her hair back into its bun every day. Her nose was thin with a distinct point at the end. Her eyes were narrow and small and were coal-black in color. She was not a young woman, for the wrinkles on her neck and jaw were numerous, and her brows seemed to be set in a permanent scowl. She was perhaps only a few inches taller than Azula, but Azula couldn't help but feel intimidated by the woman.

"Ah," the woman barked, her voice cutting and unfeeling, "I see there is a wanderer. Tell me, who gave you permission to leave your room?"

Permission? Azula hadn't known she needed permission. She had never needed it during the day; she had thought night was the same way. She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't manage to think of a smart reply.

The woman released her shoulder and clucked her tongue. Azula thought she sensed a look of glee in her eyes. She had met people like this before at war assemblies. They were the kind of people that knew exactly how to cut down every suggestion except their own and her father's. No one ever dared to rise against them except the Firelord himself. When she was younger, she would never look at them for fear that they might make some comment about her.

"Oh, joy," she said sarcastically, "I've found a mute." Then in a darker, more vicious voice, she added, "I bet I can change that. What are you doing out roaming the halls?"

Azula forced herself to swallow the lump of fear in her throat and straighten her shoulders.

"Nothing," she said shortly.

The woman narrowed her tiny eyes at her and scowled. She obviously did not believe her. Azula dug deep inside to the part of her that still knew how to lie. It would take an expert, a Princess of the Firenation, to fool this woman.

"Nothing?" the woman said.

"Nothing," Azula repeated.

The woman's lips thinned into a straight line. The corners of her mouth were lined with wrinkles, Azula noticed.

"I don't believe you," she snapped. "Patients don't go roaming the halls without a purpose. Especially patients like you. Young, tiresome. I bet you were off to the kitchens. Or maybe you wanted to sneak out to the gardens. Is that it? Hmm? Come on, we both know you can speak."

"Nothing," Azula said again, "I only wished to walk."

"There is time in the day for that."

"Only for some."

The woman fixed her with a searching stare, but Azula made sure to give nothing away. In a way, the woman's interrogation made her feel at ease. It made her feel like her old self, if just a little bit. Perhaps all the training she had received had not gone to waste after all.

"I see," the woman said, though Azula could tell she did not see at all. "Very well, then. Who is in charge of you? Who is your nurse? I'll be sure to report this."

Azula saw the two options in her mind. She could tell the woman that Kala was her nurse, but something told her that if she did, Kala would be replaced by another nurse. If she said it was someone else, the woman could easily find out she was telling a lie. In the end, Azula decided to do neither.

"I don't remember names," she said, "I couldn't tell you."

The woman narrowed her eyes.

"I bet you could."

"I couldn't."

A silence stretched between them again. The woman was getting angrier each time Azula evaded her questions. Inside, Azula was laughing. This was the most fun she had had in a long time. It reminded her of the games she would play with the people at the palace she didn't like. None of them ever hung around for long.

"Well, fine," the nurse said, "Tell me your name then. I can certainly look it up."

Azula felt trapped. This was a question she couldn't escape. If she did know one thing, it was her name, and she couldn't think of a way out. Admitting defeat, she opened her mouth to tell the woman her name.

"There you are!"

Azula turned around and felt relief flood through her. Coming toward them was Kobe, looking worried and flustered. Though Azula didn't know the nurse well, she knew Kala and Jet trusted him. He certainly couldn't be as bad as the woman standing in front of her.

"Nurse Kobe," the woman addressed him coldly, "May I ask what relation you have with this girl?"

Kobe stopped in front of her and laid a hand on Azula's shoulder.

"Hardly any," he said, "Nurse Kala was asked to accompany Dr. Lin while he was away. I am simply filling in for her."

The woman crossed her arms and frowned.

"So she is in your charge," she said, clucking her tongue. "You're responsible for her nightly wandering."

"Actually," Kobe said, not looking worried at all, "She suffers from memory loss. She probably doesn't remember that I was taking her to change her bandages."

He pointed to Azula's wrists, which Kala had insisted on bandaging since the day she had been force-fed by the doctor. They were almost healed, but Kala was insisting on keeping them bandaged so they would not get infected. But even then, they did not need to be changed in the middle of the night. Azula knew Kobe was lying.

"She said she wanted to walk," the woman said.

Kobe laughed.

"She probably did!" he chuckled, "When she forgets something, she walks around until she remembers it. Don't you?" He directed his last comment at Azula.

Azula nodded silently. Perhaps Kobe was smarter than she had originally thought. He was certainly persuasive.

The woman did not seem convinced. She fixed Kobe with a nasty glare before opening her mouth to speak.

"I don't believe you," she said, "but I have better things to do. Return her to her room, and don't let me catch her wandering around again. Is that understood?"

Kobe nodded.

"Yes, it is," he said.

The woman turned her gaze upon Azula. Her eyes fixed on her face in such a way that Azula had a feeling that she was committing each of her features to memory. A cold, slippery feeling formed at the pit of her stomach, and Azula had the urge to run away. But she stayed rooted to the spot, not letting the woman have the better of her.

"And you, my little night walker," she said in a whisper, "Should start remembering names and faces. Mine is one you should not let slip from your mind so easily."

Azula felt her skin go cold. A chill ran down her spine at the woman's words, and she had a sick feeling that she would be meeting the woman again. She met her eyes once more, a bold move considering her eyes were so famous, but she didn't want the woman to feel her fear. Even so, she felt small and intimidated under her gaze, and she felt she had made herself another enemy.

Without another word, the woman turned on her heel and walked away. When she was gone, Kobe dropped his relaxed and confident façade and let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank the spirits," he said, wiping his face with his hand, "I thought she would never leave."

Azula, whose heart was still racing from the way the woman had looked at her, shared his relief.

"Who was that?" she managed to ask, looking up at Kobe curiously.

Kobe looked at her with raised eyebrows. Azula realized she had never spoken directly to him before. She had been around him several times when accompanied by Jet or Kala, but she had never bothered to say anything to him. And he probably still thought that she was refraining from speaking to anyone as the only person she had spoken to had been Jet.

"Well, it seems you've finally decided to speak," he said, "And to me of all people."

Azula shrugged.

"I simply asked a question," she muttered, wringing her hands. He didn't have to treat it like it was a miracle of some sort.

"Yes, I know," Kobe said, "And let me tell you, I prefer it much more to a kick in the shin."

Azula frowned in confusion before she remembered the first time she had met Kobe. It was the day she had first gone out into the garden, and he and the other nurses had held her back. She remembered the kick she had delivered in an attempt to break away from him.

"I'd say sorry, but I'm not," she said. "But it was nothing personal." She wasn't sorry. If anyone else had been holding her back from the outside, she would have kicked them in the leg as well.

Her statement seemed very funny to Kobe. His face screwed up into a ridiculous smiled, and he had to bury his face in the sleeve of his robes to muffle his laugh. Azula didn't understand, but there were a lot of things she didn't understand about the hospital.

"It is such a relief to know that your violent nature is not brought on by anyone in particular," he said sarcastically, still laughing. "I might be able to sleep easy now."

Azula still did not know why he found her statement so funny, but she did know that her question was still unanswered.

"Who was that?" she asked again, this time nodding in the direction that the woman had gone. "I've never seen her before."

Kobe's face turned grim. From his expression, Azula could tell she had been right when she had assumed the woman wasn't very likeable.

"A woman you don't want to mess with," he said. "Her name is Meri, and she's about as likeable as firetoads hiding in your shoes. I don't know of one person around here that likes her, not even Kala, and she likes everyone!"

"Is she a nurse?" Azula asked. She was afraid that if Kala left, the woman might end up as her replacement.

"Not really. 'Nurse' is her title, but she hates people. She spends her time sorting paperwork and taking care of notes and letters. If there's a message that needs delivering, she's the one that handles it. For some reason, though, she's in charge while Dr. Lin's away. I guess it's because she's as nosy as they come," he said. "She knows everything around here, unless you try to keep it hidden."

Azula put a hand on her chest where her gown was covering the shadow girl's gift. Would she try to take the necklace away if she knew about it? Suddenly, Azula was more protective of the little trinket.

"In any case," Kobe continued, "I hope Dr. Lin and Kala hurry up and get back. Everyone is on edge when she is in charge."

Azula frowned.

"You weren't lying about that?" she asked. She had thought it had been something he had said to get Meri to stop questioning him.

Kobe shook his head.

"No. I thought you knew. Dr. Lin and Kala left suddenly yesterday. No one knows why," he said.

Azula was silent. Why hadn't anyone told her Kala was leaving? She would have expected her nurse to mention something to her, and if she hadn't, she would have expected to hear it from Jet. She felt a pang of hurt, but she pushed it away. It was foolishness, all of it. So they left. So what? It wasn't like it changed anything.

Kobe sighed and shook his head.

"Well, you had better be heading back to your room before Meri comes back around. You don't want her to catch you," he said.

Azula nodded, but she groaned inwardly. She did not want to sit in her room and wait until the sun rose, until the faces came back to haunt her. She wished there was a way to get out into the garden before they came.

"I'm not going to sleep," she said, turning to face him, "Can't I just go out to the garden?"

Something odd happened then. The light, happy light that usually shone in Kobe's eyes flickered. If for a moment, his eyes widened, and Azula thought she saw something like fear creep into them. But if lasted so briefly that it was gone before she could confirm it with a second glance. But she knew she had seen it.

"No," Kobe said, his voice calm, "I mean, I would let you if I could, but with Meri lurking around, I don't think…"

"I'll make sure she doesn't see me," Azula sighed, "Being in this hospital doesn't suddenly make me a thunderous, clumsy dolt."

"Yes," Kobe said warily, "But I still don't want to take a risk. No patients are allowed out in the dark."

"But it won't be dark for long!"

"Then you don't have long to wait! It won't hurt you to wait until morning, will it?" he said.

Azula wanted to snap that it would, but she bit her tongue. For some reason, she didn't want to tell anyone about the faces. Even though they already knew about the voices and how she had lost her bending, she felt that she should be able to conquer something on her own. If she could rid herself of the faces, she felt she would be able to move forward.

"I suppose not," she muttered, lowering her eyes to the floor.

Kobe's face shifted back into its usual cheerful expression. Satisfied with her answer, he put a hand on her shoulder and started walking down the hall toward her room. Azula was tempted to slap his arm away, but in her mind she was forming a plan. If she wanted it to work, she would have to put up with the garrulous nurse a bit longer.

"That's the Azula I know," Kobe chattered aimlessly, "I must say, talking to you has been very enlightening. Why, I always thought you were constantly scheming. It seemed I was wrong, wasn't I? Perhaps I should listen to Kala more. But then again, that would be rather unlike me, wouldn't it? In any case…"

Azula bit her lip to keep from laughing. Oh, how little he actually knew about her.

…

As soon as Kobe had closed the door to her room, Azula pressed her ear against it, listening for the sound of his footsteps. When their echoes had vanished, she quietly opened the door and slipped back out into the hall. Eyes peeled for early-morning nurses making their rounds, she crept along the dark hall silently.

_You're being especially daring today, aren't you, Azula? _A part of her said to herself. _The sun is not even up, and you're already looking for trouble._

Azula brushed off the voice, which was most definitely hers, and proceeded with a little more caution. She was looking for trouble, she knew, but she couldn't help but feel like it was something she had to do. Something to prove that she was more than just a prisoner in a little hospital room. So much of her had been questioned with the loss of her bending, the voices, the storm, and the faces. It was time she proved to herself that she wasn't lost completely.

She traveled along the halls with relative ease; in her night travels she had memorized most of what she had walked through. She decided that by this time that Kobe would be long gone; he would probably be running down to breakfast with the other nurses. Suddenly, she realized that it would be impossible to make it out to the garden without a nurse or other staff member. The door would be locked still, as it had been that night, and without a key, she would be trapped in the common room until someone came along and found her. She considered turning around and returning to her room, but she decided against it. It would be too risky to return now, with all the nurses waking up and checking on their patients. One would be bound to spot her.

So she was left with no choice but to continue forward. All the while, she thought frantically how she could make it outside before someone spotted her. If that woman, Meri, found her… Azula shivered at the thought. She just hoped that by some stroke of luck the doors would somehow be open.

Fortunately for her, she found that stroke of luck, or rather, nearly ran into it. So tangled up in her thoughts was she, Azula turned the corner without thinking about looking around it first. Heart jumping, she barely managed to stop herself before she ran headlong into Kobe.

_What's he doing here?_ she thought as she ducked back around the corner. _I thought he'd be gone by now!_

But for whatever reason, Kobe was walking less than ten feet in front of her in the same direction that she was traveling. Taking a steadying breath, Azula pulled herself together and stepped out from around the corner. If she was right about him, he would be too occupied with his own thoughts to bother with looking behind him.

Not surprisingly, she was right. Kobe never bothered to turn around to see if anyone was following him. With her feet moving soundlessly across the floor, Azula began to think that following the nurse was almost too easy. He always took the time to look around corners before turning, but he never so much as glanced over his shoulder.

_His skills of persuasion may be good, _she thought, _but he would never make a decent spy or assassin. He's as dense as they come._

What puzzled her about Kobe, besides his lack of common sense, was that he seemed nervous. He held himself in such a way that made her think that he was expecting an attack. But the fact that he never looked behind him made her wonder if he really was nervous. Perhaps he was overly confident. Perhaps he was trying to act natural. Either way, the more she thought about it, the more puzzling Kobe became. After a while, she found she was following him more to see where he was going than to get out into the garden.

When they reached the main room, she was almost surprised when she saw him reach for the door leading to the garden. Almost. She had figured after several turns that he was heading for the main room, and remembering his panicky reaction when she had asked to go out into the garden earlier, she had surmised that the garden was a probable destination. But she was still puzzled as to why he would go out to the garden before the sun was up.

_Perhaps there's more to him than he lets on, _she thought as she watched Kobe pull a key from his pocket. Peering around the corner, she didn't move until Kobe had unlocked the door and had slipped outside. Only then did she quickly cross the room, alert for anyone that could be watching her. Seeing no one, she opened the door and slipped outside after Kobe.

The early morning air was cool and brisk, and the grass was crowned with dew that soaked the hem of her hospital gown. Her skin prickling from the cold, Azula wrapped her arms across her chest and looked for Kobe. The garden seemed vast, but it was unlikely that he could have vanished in such short a time. However, there was no sign of the nurse she had been following. For a short while, she walked the nearby pathways to see if she could find him but to no avail. Kobe was gone.

"He couldn't have just vanished," she said to herself, frowning in confusion, "He has to be here somewhere." But if he was there, she couldn't find him.

She would have spent longer if she could have, but the day was growing fast, judging by the light growing fast in the east. If she wanted to make it to the pond before the faces found her, she would have to head toward it now before it was too late. Casting one last look around her, she lifted the dew-soaked edge of her gown and started walking down the path that would take her to the pond.

…

In the early morning glow of the nearing dawn, Jet suppressed a yawn. Stretching his stiff arms, he made his way toward the turtleduck pond. Once again, he thanked his lucky stars that Azula had taken to sleeping through the night. He couldn't imagine getting up any earlier.

Taking the back way to the pond so he wouldn't be seen, he rubbed his eyes and fought to hold off another yawn. These early morning days would be the death of him, he was sure. But he was unsure how else to beat Azula to the pond. She usually woke before the rest of the patients and rarely ate breakfast. Despite Kala's lecturing, Jet had stopped bringing it to her room because she was rarely there. He would bring dinner, but she was rarely awake by the time he stopped by.

That was why he hadn't bothered to wait for her answer when he had knocked the door the night before. The conversation they had had still ran through his mind. He still couldn't believe she had actually spoken to him. What he had thought would be an impossible challenge had turned out to be a rather simple endeavor. However, he still didn't quite understand how it had happened, or all of what Azula had said.

_"I'm the Princess of the Firenation! I've destroyed hundreds of lives. I've manipulated everyone I've ever met. I've helped this war take its toll on all of the nations. I'm the most hated person in the world, except for maybe my father. And yet you cannot see that. That is very curious… very curious indeed."_

The memory of her laughing while she spoke of herself in such a serious way still sent shivers down his spine. Did she not realize what her words meant? Or was she just too far gone still to understand it? Jet found he could not disagree with her words. She had destroyed hundreds of lives. She had manipulated numerous people. She had driven the war forward alongside her father. And yes, he knew just how hated she was.

But could he see it? Until that moment, he thought he had. He thought everyone could. But why did she have to point it out to him in order for him to realize it? He of all people should have known it in an instant, but he had looked past it.

"You're losing it," he told himself, "You're losing it like her."

The turtleduck pond soon came into view. As he neared it, he stretched out his stiff arms again, trying to rub out the soreness that had developed over the last several days. It seemed not climbing trees in so long had left him prone to stiffness. It was another grim reminder of how long it had been since he had been home, if the society in the trees had really been his home.

Of course it had been, he told himself every time he doubted it. The system of tree houses had been the closest thing he had ever had to a home. He had only to close his eyes to feel the forest breeze, to hear the leaves rustling, to hear his friends' laughter. He could see the complex system they had managed to build, the wooden buildings hidden from the world among the trees. He missed it, but he could not deny there had been something missing. There had never been anyone like Kala there. Or Kobe. Or Az… There was just something missing. But he still would return if he could. He was sure of it.

He ducked under the magnolia tree's low branches laden with flowers and made his way toward the tree's trunk. He rolled his shoulders out once more and reached up to grab one of the lower branches to pull himself into the tree.

_Another day in a tree, here I come, _he thought tiredly.

"What are you doing?"

Jet froze. No, it was too early. She couldn't be up yet. Patients couldn't get out into the garden before the sun was up. He could feel his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. Something told him this was not good.

Slowly, he turned around, swallowing the lump in his throat as he did. As the sight of Azula's face, frozen in disbelief, slid into his view, he felt his stomach turn. No, this was not good.

"What are you doing?" Azula asked again, her voice little more than a whisper.

Jet opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Azula's gold eyes searched his face questionably as if she were looking for some explanation he could not supply. Her mouth in a grim frown, she narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"You were watching me," she said quietly, her words heavy with certainty.

"No, no! I…" Jet started.

"It _was _you!" she cut him off, stepping back from him in disbelief. "Yesterday, when I was here. You were spying on me!"

Jet held up his hands and shook his head frantically.

"No! It wasn't spying!" he insisted, taking a step toward her. "I was…"

"You liar!" she spat, pushing him away with a forceful shove. "I can't believe this! You act like I'm a real person, but then you watch me like I'm an animal on show at a circus!" She looked away as her face twisted into an expression of shock and hurt, and she pulled at her hair with her hands. "You were spying on me. You were spying on me."

Jet stepped toward her again, his heart beating in his throat. Things were falling apart so fast; he could hardly tell how to hold them together. Swallowing, he placed a careful hand on her arm.

"Azula, please. I was only looking out for you. Ever since you woke up…"

"That long?" she exclaimed, "You've been watching me for that long?"

"No, I…"  
"Don't lie to me!" she yelled, throwing his hand off her arm, "Don't bother me with your words! You may think I'm lost, and I probably am, but I know a lie when I hear one!" She turned her back on him and held her head in her hands. Breathing rapidly, she bent her head down toward the pond, staring at the surface of the water. "And so the sun rises…" she murmured.

Jet looked up. Through the pink petals of the magnolia blossoms, he could see the first rays of daybreak shining down on them. Turning back to Azula, he shook his head.

"I didn't lie," he said, "I told you what I was doing."

Azula snapped up and turned to him, her teeth bared in an outraged look of hatred.

"Yes, you told me what you were doing!" she yelled, approaching him until she was inches away from his face, "You admitted that you are just like everyone else! Everyone else! And you don't even have the grace to act ashamed!"

Jet felt his blood start to boil.

"Ashamed?" he said, scowling in anger, "For what reason should I be ashamed? For all I'm concerned, I have done the honorable thing by watching over you! Taking care of you! Helping you! Trusting you! And you have the nerve to call me shameful!"

"I do!" she retorted, "If my nerve is all I have left, then so be it! I will tell you what reason there is to be ashamed! I trusted no one, _no one_, except you! And you turned around and betrayed that trust!"

"As if you are one to talk of betrayal!" Jet snapped back. "The infamous prodigy of the Firenation! The snake that poisoned the four nations at her father's will and never showed pity on anyone! You are the betrayer! Your bloodline is what betrayed the world!"

"You know nothing of my bloodline!"

"I know that because of it, my parents are dead!" he roared, "Because of your line of Firenation nobility, my parents were murdered when I was no more than a kid! I lost everything because of your family! Everything! But you wouldn't know what that means, would you, Princess? You have never known loss or want, have you?"

Azula retaliated with shove to his chest, sending him flying to the ground. When he pushed himself back up, she was inches away from his face, her wild eyes glowing like molten rock. If looks could kill, he knew he would be dead.

"You know nothing of me!" she said in a deathly whisper. "You know nothing of my life. You know nothing of who I am. You know nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"I know a snake when I see one."

"Then you must see one each time you look in the mirror!" she screamed.

Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, she yanked him forward and at the same time, twisted her foot around his ankle. Jet went flying to the ground, landing with a thud on his knees. Scowling, he rolled back over to yell another response when Azula started to laugh.

Yes, laugh. The girl started to laugh like a madwoman, the cackle cold and shrill. It silenced all the thoughts and angry retorts he had stored in his head, so chilling was its sound. He had never heard anything so wild, so frightening. It made him realize his temper had gotten the better of him.

"I suppose I am the fool!" she shrieked, "I am the fool for letting my walls slide! I let down my defenses, my caution, my instincts! Trust is for fools! And I have become the biggest fool of all for ignoring my own wisdom!"

Another cackle overtook her with shaking ferocity. Jet backed up, his heart beating fast in his chest. What had he done? Weeks of patience and effort had suddenly vanished before his eyes as he watched the change come over the girl in front of him. All for what? His pride? He shook his head. No, this couldn't be happening.

"I _am _a fool!" she laughed mirthfully. "An ignorant, blind fool! Oh, what an existence, that of a fool!" She turned and stepped back toward the pond. Bending down, she regarded her reflection with a crooked grin. "I could perhaps even look the part," she said softly, touching the surface of the pond with her finger.

Suddenly, as her finger broke the surface, she let out a ferocious snarl.

"No!" she growled, snatching her hand away as if the water had burned her, "This is not true! Stop your cries! Silence! I command you! Bother me no more!" Her teeth gnashed together in a grimace; she clawed at her gown with trembling hands.

This Azula was more frightening than any he had seen before in her. The skin on the back of his neck prickled as he listened to her angry voice. Jet forced himself to his feet, his breath catching in his throat. A curtain of black hair cast shadows on her pale face. Her arms twitched as she duck her nails into the fabric of her hospital gown; he could see red spots from where they had torn through and pierced her skin.

_Do something! _a voice inside of him screamed.

But what could he do? If he touched her, she would attack him. If he let her be, she would fall farther into her fearsome rage. To her, he was no more than any other nurse.

"I wish for silence!" Azula howled, her snarls turning into rough cries of despair. "I wish to be alone!" She dropped to her knees, cradling her head in her hands. Her cries were loud enough to echo across the garden; someone would notice soon.

Jet stepped forward, desperate to silence her cries, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Please, Azula!" he said in a voice that was close to pleading, "They will hear you!"

His efforts were in vain. With an angry scream, Azula whipped around and leapt at him. He staggered back to avoid her, but in doing so he tripped and fell to the ground. She stood above him, her teeth bared in a vicious grimace.

"They should!" she spat, "I hear them every day!" Taking a step toward him, she leaned down and searched him with her burning eyes. "You can ignore them! Their voices have no effect on you! Their sounds don't fall on your ears! Their features don't haunt your eyes!"

Jet scrambled backward as she took another step toward him. His mind raced as it tried to comprehend what she was saying. What was she talking about? The nurses? The doctors?

"What haunts you?" he cried.

Azula wailed in response.

"All of them!" she groaned, "Each and every one of them!"

Jet knew then that something had gone terribly wrong. She was seeing something he couldn't, and if she refused to talk to him coherently, he would never be able to help her.

Azula took a shaky breath, and then suddenly, tears began to spill from her eyes. Astonished by the shift in emotion, he sat frozen on the ground, helpless like Azula. It occurred to him then that they were similar in that neither of them could control the world around them. They were at the mercy of the events unfolding in front of them, and neither of them could stop the pull of the current that dragged them along a dangerous river. The thought fascinated him, and it also frightened him.

The air stood still as a heavy silence descended upon them. The only sounds that could be heard were the wind moving through the trees and the uneven breaths of Azula. It must have lasted only seconds, but to Jet the silence seemed to stretch on for an eternity. For all the screams and rants and tormenting cries, this silence was perhaps the most disconcerting moment he had endured with Azula. It was the calm before the storm, the pause before the unthinkable. The tension grew in the air as Azula opened her mouth and drew in a shaky breath. Jet held his own, as if he were about to submerge below water.

"And it is a face I do not know that stares back at me," she murmured, her eyes bright from tears. "As it all falls around me, this is the one who haunts me most."

She extended a hand in front of her, reaching for something he could not see. Holding his breath, Jet watched her, afraid to move, afraid to speak. Her bottom lip trembled, and a sorrowful moan escaped her. Her face contorted in grief, as she watched whatever was in front of her, her eyes seeing nothing else.

"If you could see her, you'd be amazed," she choked. "Amazed at how similar we are. So similar. She has my eyes, my hair, my lips. She has my features, all of them. We could be the same, perhaps."

A strange smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she let out a sound that could have been a laugh or a sob. She traced the features of an invisible face with her hand, a sort of amusement shining in her eyes. For a short moment she seemed pleased, but soon the smile faded and so did the light from her eyes. Her hand fell to her side, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"But I do not know her!" she cried, "For all the similarities, we are different! In my eyes she is a stranger, a ghost! I could remember her if I tried, but I am too afraid to try! And that is how we differ. I am afraid, and she is not." She shook her head. "I know her name, for it is my own, but she is perfect and cruel. I do not know which of us belongs to the name. Which one of us can claim it as our own? We cannot both be Azula. We are too different."

_She sees herself! _Jet realized. _She sees an image of herself! But she does not recognize it!_ He found he could not tear his eyes from the girl standing in front of him. What he would give to see in her mind… But then again, perhaps he wouldn't give anything. Perhaps some things were best left unseen.

"If one of us is Azula and the other is not," she continued to murmur, "Then which am I? Am I Azula? Or am I something else?" Her eyes squeezed shut, and she pressed the heels of her palms against her forehead. "That is what I don't know! I do not know who I am!"

This revelation sent her falling to her knees, and a muffled sob wrestled its way from her throat. For minutes she stayed like that, oblivious to everything around her. Jet could only watch in sadness.

Suddenly, she sat up and looked straight at him. Her eyes piercing him, she gritted her teeth and stood.

"I am not what you think I am," she whispered, "I am not the monster you think I am!"

Jet found his voice.

"I do not think you are a monster," he said without looking away from her eyes.

Azula screwed her face up into a grimace and bent down close to his face.

"Liar," she hissed.

And with that, she turned and ran, leaving him under the magnolia tree.

...

Azula had no idea where else to go. She ran to her room.

As soon as she threw herself into the room, she regretted it. It was too small, too close. The faces that overwhelmed her mind were even worse within the walls of her room. Their voices echoed within the space, as if they were actually before her.

"None of you are real!" she shouted, clapping her hands over her ears, "None of you exist! You are only figments of my mind!"

She pressed herself into a corner and slid down to the ground, curling herself into a ball. She knew they weren't real. She knew it. She knew that it was impossible for them to be there, and she knew only she could hear their voices. She knew it was her mind and her mind alone that was creating the images she saw. But even if they weren't real, their message was.

_Monster. _

For all their differences, all the individualities that could be found within their visages, this word was one they could say in unison. They whispered it; they shouted it; they whispered it in her ear. There was nothing she could do to stop them. She could only watch and listen.

"I am… not," she managed to say.

A cold, clear laugh pierced through her mind. She recognized it at once, for it had once been her own. Removing her hands from her ears, she looked up at the figure before her. Figure. Person. No longer was it just a face. Suddenly, her blood ran cold, and she felt a tremor run up her spine as she stared into eyes that were just like her own.

"Never had I ever expected to see myself fall so far," the other Azula said, standing over her. She cocked her head to one side and looked at her curiously, as if it were a rather amusing spectacle she was witnessing. "How interesting."

It was looking into a mirror and seeing what she had once been. This Azula had on the Firenation armor she had once worn. Her hair was drawn up into a perfect topknot with the bangs hanging perfectly in front of her face. Her lips were red, her skin was pale, and her eyes were a bright gold.

"Who are you?" Azula said, trying to keep her voice from shaking, "And why do you come in my shape?"

The other Azula laughed.

"Your shape? Your shape? Now, don't be ridiculous! We hardly have anything in common, other than a name and a heritage. But other than that, I find it difficult to trace a similarity between us," she said, inspecting her pointed nails.

"I see many similarities."

"Do you?" The other Azula looked up at her in interest. "That's very strange. Then they must be very small, for I only see a cowering, weak girl hiding in the corner." She fixed her eyes on her with a smirk, as if she were challenging her to deny what she had just said.

Azula scowled and pushed herself to her feet. This was a battle she could not afford to lose.

"What do you want from me?" she snarled, not looking away from the other Azula's eyes, "What purpose is there for me to see these faces? Why have you tormented me since the Agni Kai? Why…"

"The Agni Kai?" the other Azula cut in. "What torment did I give you then?"

Azula frowned in disgust. How dare she pretend to be ignorant!

"You know of what I speak! The voices! The endless cold laughs and cutting words! The ones that nearly made me kill myself!" she exclaimed, "You cannot pretend you don't know what I am talking about."

The other Azula sniffed.

"I can't," she said coldly, "But that was not my doing. I had nothing to do with them."

"I don't believe you," Azula snapped. She knew herself. She was too good of a liar to be trusted, and therefore she could not trust this other Azula.

"Of course you don't!" the other Azula laughed, "I know what you are thinking! You think that I am you, and therefore, I can't be trusted, because you cannot trust yourself! But for once, it is truth that spills from my lips. Despite what they say, we do not always lie, you and I." She fixed her with a sly grin, one that sent a shiver through her.

"Fine," Azula said, forcing herself not to break eye contact, "Then why have you sent these faces to me? What purpose do they serve?"  
The other Azula sighed and rolled her eyes, acting like what Azula had just said was very childish and boring.

"I can't say I am proud of you," she said, walking around the room, "Losing the Agni Kai was bad enough, but then you were foolish enough to listen to a spirit? Really, now, we both know that nonsense isn't real."

"Neither are you," Azula said in an even voice. She followed the other Azula with narrowed eyes, challenging her to deny it.

"Am I?" Golden eyes fixed on her again. "Then why do you act as if I am about to attack you?"

Azula scowled but said nothing.

The other Azula shrugged and continued to walk.

"In any case, it has become apparent to me in the past few weeks that there is a danger. A danger of losing what you are. What _I _am. In order to prevent this from happening, I took it upon myself to remind you what you are. What we are," she said.

"You mean to say you took it upon yourself to save yourself despite what pain it might put me through," Azula spat, "You have no care for others. You care only about your own survival."

The other Azula stopped and turned. A smirk played on her lips as she looked at her. Azula involuntarily wrapped her arms around her. The air had suddenly gone cold around her, and she felt the skin on the back of her neck begin to prickle.

"You know yourself well," the other Azula said, taking a step toward her, "And therefore, you know me well. I care only about myself, and since you and I are the same, I am forced to care about you."

"I hold the key to your survival then," Azula said. In a way, it made sense. Whether this manifestation of her was real or not, they were linked. In order for the old Azula, the one that stood in front of her, to survive, she would have to destroy the new Azula. Neither of them could live while the other still existed.

"Precisely," the other Azula said, "It has been my goal these past few weeks to remind you of what you are and to prevent you from becoming the very thing that you are becoming now. It would not have done to show myself to you at first. You would have been even more stubborn than you are now. Instead, I decided to show you faces, faces that would remind you of what we are."

"And what is that exactly?"

The other Azula grinned.

"A monster."

Of course. What else would they be? All this time she had known what she was, what they were. It was nothing new. But to hear that she was a monster from herself, it was something else.

The other Azula laughed.

"It's hard to deny when you hear it from yourself, isn't it?" she said. "When you know what you are, you cannot say it isn't so."

Yes, it was hard to deny. She had admitted to herself that she was a monster once. She remembered the day before she had met Jet, the day she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She remembered the straggly hair, the wild eyes. She remembered the monster she had seen in the mirror.

But as the image she had seen on that day flashed before her eyes, she could not help but see a difference between that monster and the monster that stood before her. The one that stood before her was cold and unfeeling. The one in the mirror had seemed lost and in pain.

Two different monsters. Was she one of them? She couldn't seem to identify herself with either one of them, for each held more differences than they did similarities. Yes, the shape of the face and the color of the eyes were the same, but there was more to it than physical attributes.

She was startled from her thoughts by the other Azula, who screamed aloud in anger.

"You fool!" she screamed, bringing her face very close to hers, "Why would you bring _her _here?"

"Who?" Azula asked.

"Her!" the other Azula snapped, pointing to a corner across the room.

There, sitting in the chair, was another figure. Playing with the frayed fabric of her hospital gown, the girl sat hunched like an old woman. Her wild hair matted hair hid her face, but Azula knew who it was.

"I will not compete with another!" other Azula exclaimed, scowling in disgust at the girl in the corner. "I will not compete with this monster!"

"She is not such a monster as you!" cried Azula, pushing around her, "She's lost! Can't you take pity on her?" She walked toward the lost Azula, stopping a few feet away from her chair. The girl didn't even look up at her. She merely continued to pick at the threads in the fabric and mumble to herself.

"Loose ends," she murmured, "Loose ends all unraveling."

Azula knelt so she could look up into the lost Azula's face. Hesitantly, she extended a hand toward one of the girl's. They were dry and bony, almost looking like they were meant for the grave. But before she could touch her, the girl snatched her hand away and looked at Azula with fierce, wild eyes. The shadows in her face made her look wraith-like and terrifying.

"She does not want your kindness," the other Azula said, "She wants to die."

Azula turned and scowled at her.

"And you would let her?" She stood up and clenched her fists at her side in anger.

"Certainly!" she said. She stepped up next to the chair and eyed the girl in disgust. "If she lives, I die, and if I live, she dies."

"And where do I come in?" Azula exclaimed, "This is all in my mind! Why don't I have a choice?"

"You do," the other Azula said, "But there is only one reasonable one."

Azula knew what she was going to say. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut and turned away. Her head hurt something horrible, and things only seemed to get worse by the minute. She had to choose. If she chose to become the other Azula, she would become what she was before the Agni Kai. She would be unstoppable and ruthless. She could regain her firebending and perhaps escape from this place. If she chose to become the lost Azula, she would fall back into the darkness she had so long tried to escape. The choice did seem obvious, but something felt wrong about it.

"Why should I become what you are?" she said, "Why should I go back?"

The other Azula snarled.

"Why would you ask such a thing!" she roared, "You are the Princess of the Firenation! You cannot deny what you are!"  
"I don't want to be you!" Azula shouted back, "I do not want to be a monster like you!"

"You are a monster!" the other Azula cried, "You are the daughter of Firelord Ozai! You have aided him in the destruction of the other three nations! You cannot pretend you are something else! You are Azula! You are a monster!"

"I am not!"

"You are!" the other Azula screamed, "Look in the mirror! See with your own eyes!"

She pointed to the mirror on the wall, and Azula couldn't help but look. Unlike the last time she had looked into the mirror, the person that looked back at her did not look like a wild animal driven mad from imprisonment. This time, her skin was pale and even. Her hair was smooth and long, except the two sections that hadn't quite grown out. There were no longer shadows under her eyes, and her eyes were bright.

"You are more similar to me now than you have been in several months, though you are still a coward," the other Azula said, "It is time for you to accept it and become again what you were born to be!"

What she was born to be… The memory of her mother at her birth popped into her head. She could see her face, her loving face as she smiled at her newborn child. She had not thought her a monster then, would she now?

The other Azula's face screwed up in disgust.

"No!" she cried, "That woman abandoned you! Left you! She couldn't stand you! You were a monster in her eyes!"

Azula shook her head.

"Not always," she said.

The other Azula laughed.

"You think one spirit's trick is enough to change the truth?" she sneered, "Mother hated you! She feared you! She thought you were a monster! And she was right!"

"No…"  
"Yes!" she said with a cruel laugh, "And you…"  
A knock on the door cut her short. Azula's head snapped around, and to her horror, she realized she had not shut the door. There, standing in the doorframe, was Jet. Between the two Azulas and him, she did not know which she would rather face.

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither willing to be the first one to speak. She tried to read his face, but as usual, she was met by an immovable mask.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked quietly at last.

Azula scowled and turned away.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long."

"Liar," she snapped. She looked up at the mirror in front of her. She could see his face behind her reflection. His spying, lying face. Suddenly, she couldn't stand to look at him, even in a mirror. She busied herself with her hair, drawing it up into a topknot, holding it in place where she would put a ribbon. It looked perfect, except for the two uneven strands hanging in front.

_"What a shame. You always had such beautiful hair."_

Azula's breath caught in her throat. She dropped her hair and stared at the figure that entered the room beside Jet.

"What are you doing here?" she breathed, her voice shaking. No, not now. Not again.

"What do you mean, what am I doing here?" Jet said, "I'm here because…"

But his words were lost to her as her mother opened her mouth to speak.

_"I didn't want to miss my own daughter's coronation."_

Azula's breath came in quick, shallow rasps. It was like she had gone back in time to the night she failed, where all of this had started.

"Are you even listening to me?" Jet said with a frown, "You are stubborn, I will give you that!"

"Don't pretend to act proud!" Azula shouted, "I know what you really think of me! You think I'm a monster!" She wasn't sure who she was talking to anymore. There were two people in the mirror behind her. Were they both real? She wasn't sure of anything anymore.

"I think you're confused," two voices said in unison.

"All your life you used fear to control people, like your friends Mai and Ty Lee," her mother said.

"We are different, Azula," Jet said, "And there is no mending those differences. But we have to look beyond them, as much as I hate to admit it. I made a promise, and I mean to keep that promise. Trust me."

Blinking furiously to clear the blurriness that came into her eyes, Azula bit her trembling lip. She didn't understand. Why was she seeing this? There was no reprieve from the onslaught of tortures she faced. Voices, dreams, faces, memories, they all haunted her endlessly.

"But what choice do I have?" she choked, wiping her eyes, "Trust is for fools!" She bit off a sob and looked into the mirror again. "Even you fear me."

Where were these words coming from? They fell from her lips without any thought. It was as if her mouth worked on its own. She bit her lip and covered her ears, trying to escape this living memory.

"No," Jet and her mother said together.

Azula trembled. She knew what words were coming next.

"I love you, Azula," her mother said.

In the mirror, Jet walked into the room until he stood behind her. Her mother followed him, standing to the left as Jet stood to the right. A sorrowful smile graced her lips. A strange longing came over Azula, a longing to turn around and look at her mother, to see that she was real. But she knew she wasn't. She knew she was like the other faces and figures her mind had conjured.

"I want to help you, Azula," Jet said, "I do."

"I do," her mother whispered.

It was too much. Letting out a blood-curdling scream, Azula drew back her fist and punched the mirror without her might. She felt a biting pain as the glass sliced into her hand, red blood seeping from the cuts as the glass fell.

"Azula!" Jet screamed.

Azula clutched her bleeding hand and stared at the shining shards of glass on the floor. The only face that stared at her now was hers. Her mother was gone.

She was hardly aware of Jet grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her around. He was saying something to her, something important maybe. He grabbed her hand and shook his head, murmuring something that escaped her. She snatched her hand back and pushed him away. She didn't care about him.

"I want to be alone," she heard herself say.

Jet said something to her, but his words didn't make any sense.

"I want to be alone!" she shouted, turning around to face him, "Can't you just leave me alone!"

They stood staring at each other for several seconds, faces inches apart. Perhaps she could read his face, just this once. She could see a flicker of something in his eyes. What was it? Surprise? Anger? Sadness? Oh, what did it matter? He cared about her just as much as she cared about him: very little to none.

Then he turned and walked away and was gone, leaving Azula to ponder alone just like she wanted. And never before had she ever felt so alone.

…

A few hours before sunset, a young, stick-thin nurse came in with a broom to sweep up the glass. Azula, still standing where she had been that morning, looked up at her briefly when she knocked on the door. She gave a slight nod, and the woman came in, swept up the shards, and left. Azula hadn't bothered to show her the cuts on her hand. If she had, the nurse might have noticed the larger shard of glass she had kept for herself.

She didn't know why she had picked up the shard, but the more she looked at it, the more she became attached to it. Its edges were as sharp as a knife, but its surface was smooth and cool. She held it gingerly in her hand so not to cut herself and turned it this way and that to see how the light bounced off of it. It reminded her in a way of the knife Mai had given her in the storm, though it was far from the craftsmanship Mai's knife had.

Eventually, she realized that the room had been silent for several hours. No faces or voices bothered her. It was a lonely sort of peace that was upon her, and in an odd way, it disturbed her. Perhaps it was the room. Prisoners rarely found peace in their cells.

Wandering down to her spot under the magnolia tree, she watched the sun drift across the sky. How many times would she watch the sun set from the hospital? Would she ever see it somewhere beyond its walls? Or was she to remain there for the rest of her life? They were questions she could not answer.

Sitting next to the pond, she gazed at her reflection, troubled by what she saw. No matter how she looked at it, she still saw the other Azula staring back at her. Though she tried to focus on the uneven strands of hair hanging on either side of her face, she saw more similarities than she did differences.

_Isn't that funny? _she thought to herself, _Just this morning I was trying to prove to her how similar we were. Now I'm trying to pick out the differences. _

But why was she trying so hard anyway? Why did she want so bad _not _to be like the other Azula? She had been her at one time not so long ago. Why was she so adamant not to become what she had already been? Staring at the face in the water, she realized she could not answer these questions either.

Then her gaze fell to the shard in her lap. In its gleaming surface, she could only see a portion of her reflection. She could not see the full length of her hair, just a short portion of it. For a moment, she didn't recognize herself. And then she realized that was exactly what she had been looking for.

Taking the shard, she watched her reflection in the water carefully as she took a section of hair in her hand. Then bringing the shard neck to it, she cut it. The black hair fell to her lap, and she moved on to the next section of hair. Soon, she was surrounded by strands of silky black hair, and the hair on her head fell only to her shoulders. The girl that looked back at her from the pond's surface was one that was different from the other Azula. Considerably different.

"You see?" she told the surface of the pond, "I'm not like you! I'm not like you at all! And I will never be like you again!" She let out a large sigh, partly from relief and partly from exhaustion. She had been up for almost two days. Maybe it was the lack of sleep that had caused her to see such strange things today.

The surface shimmered for a moment, and Azula thought she saw another face, the face of the other Azula, glaring back at her in disgust. Then the water rippled again, and the face was gone. A strange feeling of serenity washed over her, like a cool breeze in the summer. Could this be the end? Were the faces gone for good? Like the questions she asked before, Azula could not answer them, but for now, she felt no need to.

"Ah, there you are."

Azula looked up to see Kobe walking toward the pond. In his hand was a length of bandage and a small jar. He didn't look angry or upset, but he did not look as cheerful as he usually did.

"May I join you?" he asked, "Or would you prefer me to stand here and pretend I'm not here? I can't let you stay out here alone after sunset."

Azula sighed. Of course she couldn't have sat alone forever. There was always someone poking around. She should have known someone would show up soon.

"Did Jet send you?" she asked looking back at the pond. The excitement she had felt a few moments ago seemed to have vanished with Kobe's arrival.

Kobe shook his head.

"No," he said, "I only came to fix your hand. The nurse that swept up the glass in your room said that she noticed you were holding your hand away from her. I figured you must have cut yourself."

"So Jet told you nothing."

"No, he told me what happened, but not willingly. Believe it or not, I actually had to wrestle the truth of your… encounter from him. He's about as stubborn as you. I finally told him that if he didn't tell me what happened with you, I would tell Meri that he was fooling around in the kitchen."

"That awful woman upsets everyone, doesn't she?" Azula said, looking back up at him. "I suppose you can stay."

"Thank you," Kobe said with a smile, "It would be hard to fix your hand if I had to hide behind a tree."

Azula snorted as he sat down next to her.

"At least you're not in one," she said, giving him her hand, "And at least I know you're here."

"Yes, I've heard Jet's taken to tree climbing again," Kobe said, examining her hand, "He has some strange fetish for heights. He used to live in a tree, he told me. He used to swing about from limb to limb with these hooks of his. When he first told me about all of this, I told him he was a fool, and a crazy fool at that."

"He is a fool," Azula agreed as Kobe started to rub ointment from the jar onto her hand, "And not just because he climbs trees."

Kobe snorted.

"I'd agree with you, but unfortunately, he's rather clever at times," he said with a grimace.

Azula scowled. Just because he knew how to climb a tree and spy on someone didn't make Jet smart. She crossed her arms and looked away from Kobe.

"He's not that smart," she said tightly.

"I didn't say he was smart," Kobe said, trying to grab her hand again, "I said he was clever. He thinks too fast for me."

Azula didn't respond. She didn't want to say any kind words about him, nor did she want to hear them.

Kobe seemed to realize this.

"But the world doesn't revolve around that knucklehead," he said, taking her hand and wrapping it with a strip of bandage. "I see you've cut your hair."

"Yes," Azula said, hiding the shard on her lap, "I did."

"I would ask how, but I would then have to confiscate the item you cut it with," he said, eyeing her with a knowing gaze. "Would you care to tell me why you did it?"

Azula shrugged. How could she describe what reasons made her cut her hair? It was like trying to explain why she was in the hospital or why she lost her firebending. She just couldn't answer those questions with words.

"I needed… I needed to be different," she said simply. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. She hoped Kobe wouldn't be so nosy as to pry into things.

Kobe nodded.

"I can understand that," he said, "And that is a very interesting necklace you have there."

Azula looked down. The necklace given to her by the shadow girl had somehow come out of her gown. Quickly, she grabbed it and tucked it back into its place.

"Does it symbolize anything?" Kobe asked as he tied the bandage around her hand into place.

Azula shrugged.

"Not that I know of. Someone gave it to me, but she didn't bother to explain it," she said.

Kobe shrugged.

"Well, maybe you can give it a meaning," he said. He reached into his own robes and pulled out a small wooden disk tied to a piece of leather cord. When he held it up for her to see, she could see the swirls carved into it.

"What is it?" Azula asked, watching the ring as it spun in the fading light.

"This," Kobe said, "is a piece of wood."

"I can see that," Azula said. "It doesn't look that special."

"But this piece of wood was taken from the tree that grows next to my home. It's something to remind me where I come from, to remind me who I am." He placed the necklace back under his robes. "In any case, it's a good thing to have."

Azula sighed.

"Mine…" she stopped, "I don't even know where it came from. And I'm not sure who I am."

"Well, you certainly have made a point of becoming someone different," Kobe said, gesturing to the hair lying on the ground.

Azula shrugged but didn't say anything.

"I think, Azula," Kobe said, "that you are something other than what everyone thinks you are. And I think Jet, for all his cleverness, has yet to realize that."

She frowned and looked at him. He smiled at her reassuringly and stood up.

"Well, it's getting late," he said, looking at the sun, "I'd say it's time for us to head back."

Azula stood and brushed the hair off her lap. It seemed weird to leave her hair scattered along the bank of the turtleduck pond. She stooped to pick it up, but Kobe stopped her.

"Ah, just leave it for the birds. They love that stuff for their nests. Besides, what will you do with it? If it's still there tomorrow, I'll have Jet pick it up."

"I don't want anything to do with him," she said, "I don't want him near here." She looked up at Kobe and fixed him with a meaningful look. "If you want what's best for him, you'll tell him not to come around me tomorrow or anytime in the future."

Kobe shrugged.

"I suppose I could arrange that," he said, walking back to the hospital. "But then you would have to deal with me every day instead of him. And I'm told I talk too much and think too little."

Azula snorted.

"At least you don't climb trees," she muttered.

…

In the next few days, she didn't so much as speak to Jet. When she passed him in the hall or in the garden, she simply looked the other way. He didn't seem to care, but it wasn't like she could tell what he was thinking behind that mask of a face.

She found herself waiting anxiously for Kala to return. On multiple occasions she had asked Kobe where she had gone, but Kobe seemed to know little more than she did.

"I'm sure she won't be gone too long," he told her one day when he brought her breakfast, "She's not one to stay away for too long, especially when Meri is running things."

Azula had seen the nurse on a few occasions after their initial meeting in the hallway, but Azula's new hairstyle helped her in more than one way, she discovered. She found that if she kept her head down slightly to hide her eyes, most people didn't recognize her. Meri was one of the many who simply glanced at her and went back to what she was doing. It seemed normal patients concerned her much less than the royal ones.

Since her old gown had been stained with blood from her hand, Kobe had seen to it that she get a new one. When he brought her the new gown, Azula had at first been unwilling to wear it. It was, unlike the other gowns she had worn, a deep, rich color, which was a nice difference from the usual pastels. But it was also green. Earth Kingdom green. She had tried to convince Kobe to give her a gown in red, but he shook his head.

"No, I can't do that. Kala made this one for you, and she didn't make one in red," he said.

Upon hearing that her nurse had taken the time to make something for her, Azula couldn't help but feel obligated to wear it. It was an odd feeling. She had never felt as if she owed anyone anything before, and she tried not to think about it. Instead she took the gown and wore it without complaint.

She stopped spending her days by the pond; there were too many strange memories of the faces there, and she had a feeling that Jet would be hanging around there. Since realizing that he could hide in trees, she had felt a certain amount of uneasiness each time she passed under a tree. This was foolishness, she knew, but eventually she avoided the garden altogether. Sometimes she missed spending her days under the magnolia tree, but she soon put it out of her mind. Instead, she spent her days inside the hospital, wandering around. With her new gown and hair, she was rarely bothered. Hardly anyone recognized her, and therefore, they weren't concerned.

Soon, Azula realized she had missed a lot of what had been going on around her. When she woke up before anyone else to go into the garden or stayed out late to explore, she missed most of the activity that went on in the hospital. It was a very busy place. Everywhere she looked, there were nurses running here and there, checking papers, carrying laundry, delivering meals, escorting patients. Perhaps it was the patients that fascinated her the most. Before she had paid little mind to the other people living in the hospital and now was amazed by how many there really were. She could spend a day sitting in the common room watching the people in there.

It wasn't long before some of them began to notice her, but few ever knew who she really was. Some would come up and sit beside her, saying that she looked lonely. Sometimes she managed a conversation with the person next to her, but often words seemed to escape her. She'd let the other person do most of the talking, or she would let the silence drift between them. Sometimes people left; sometimes they stayed. No matter what, though, there was always another person that would come along.

This was the way she met Thu. One day, sitting in the common room before beginning her normal wandering, she noticed a patient sitting across the room. Perhaps he wouldn't have stood out so much if it weren't for the fact that he was yelling at another patient who had beat him at Pai Sho.

"You cheater!" he exclaimed, "You no good, rotten, lying, empty-headed, son of a turnip! You cheated! You cheated!"

The young man he had been playing against stood up to argue with him, but soon a number of nurses rushed over to separate the fight. In the end, the first patient walked away, muttering promises of vengeance under his breath.

Azula could not help but find the scene funny. She let out a small laugh, and immediately the man's gaze snapped to her. Azula stopped laughing as he huffed and stomped over to her.

"Young lady," he said with a frown, "Things like this are not to be taken lightly!" He crossed his arms and leaned toward her. "If I can't play an honest game of Pai Sho, what am I to do with my time? Hmm?"

Azula said nothing. She looked down at her hands, letting her hair fall around her face so the man couldn't see her eyes. If he made such a deal out of a Pai Sho game, he was sure to say something if he recognized the Princess of the Firenation sitting in from of him.

"And furthermore," the man continued, "Situations like these force me to do unspeakable things, like stealing opponents' Pai Sho pieces, for example."

Azula looked up, and saw the man holding a handful of pieces in front of her. He grinned and dropped them in his pocket, giving her a wink. The young man who had won the game let out a yell from where he was standing across the room, and the man in front of her nodded.

"Yes, I believe it's time for me to relocate. Would you join me?" he said.

And just like that, Azula found herself acquainted with the hospital's oldest problem, Thu.

Thu was a strange sort of person, Azula found. Not only was he exceptionally old and grey, he was extremely sharp. Most of the time, he had a gleam in his eye that hinted that he was up to no good, but every time a nurse or doctor passed him, the gleam would disappear, and he would begin to act meek and docile. But despite this act, Azula still noticed the looks that some of the nurses gave him.

"They don't seem to trust you," she said to him as she walked alongside him. She had to slow her pace to stay beside him; Thu walked with a cane, and he did so at his own pace.

The old man laughed, tapping his cane on the floor.

"Oh, they don't," he said, "They're always on edge whenever I'm nearby. I can't understand why though. I'm just a gentle old man who only wants to live out his days in peace."

He grinned, and Azula knew that the man was far from peaceful.

"Oh, pardon me," he said suddenly, "Here I've been rambling all this time about me, and I don't even know who you are!" He sighed and rubbed his nearly-bald head which was spotted with age. "What is your name, dear girl? And why on earth are you allowing me to waste your time on a day like this?"

_Oh no, _Azula thought. She couldn't tell the man her name. If she did, he would most likely tell the whole world that the Princess of the Firenation was standing beside him, and she wasn't sure if he was a violent sort of person or not. A rap on the head from his cane would hurt more than a little bit, she thought.

Not knowing what else to say, she said the first name that popped into her head.

"Zara," she said, remembering the name the shadow girl had called her. "My name is Zara."

Thu nodded like he approved of the name.

"Zara," he repeated, "What a curious name. It's a lovely one, don't misunderstand me, but I don't believe I've heard it before. Oh, never mind, it's no big deal. Now, what about that second question I asked you? Why would you spend your time with an old man like me?"

Azula opened and closed her mouth several times before she came up with something to say.

"I don't have anyone else to walk with, sir," she said, "And pickpockets are best kept where you can see them."

At this, Thu laughed a long, wheezing laugh. He clapped her on the back with a withered old hand, surprising her with his strength.

"Ah, you are a smart one," he said, wiping tears from his eyes. "That's very good, Zara, very good. Never doubt those around you, no matter their age or appearances. Though you don't have much need for worry. Unless you decide to cross me, you have no need to fear for your pocket's contents."

"So you are a pickpocket then," Azula mused. "And you haven't gotten in trouble?"

"No," Thu said, "After they've learned their lesson, their things will miraculously appear. That man you saw today will probably find his Pai Sho pieces in his pocket in about a week. I have no need of the things of others."

If Azula hadn't thought Thu was crazy before, she certainly did now. A pickpocket who returned the things he had stolen? It was almost a laughable idea, but she didn't dare let Thu know this. She had decided it was best to stay on his good side.

…

Late one evening a few days later, Azula started awake from a scream. Sitting up in her bed, she froze, wondering if the scream was real or if it was just in her dream. It had sounded familiar, as if she had heard it before. She sat and listened for several minutes, but she heard nothing. Deciding it must have been a dream, she lay back down and closed her eyes.

Suddenly the scream rang out again, and this time Azula knew it wasn't a dream. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Quietly, she crept across the room to the door. Was someone in trouble? Was someone hurt? She reached to open the door, but before she could, the door swung open on its own. She scowled to see Jet on the other side.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped, keeping her voice down to low whisper. "I thought you knew I didn't want anything to do with you."

"I do know that!" Jet retorted, glaring back at her. "I was just making sure you were okay."

"Of course I'm okay!" she said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard a scream."

"Oh, so every time someone screams, it has to me, right?" she said sarcastically.

"No, but…"

"Both of you, stop your arguing and get inside!" someone said behind them.

Azula was suddenly pushed back into the room along with Jet, who almost tripped over her. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself on the floor, looking up at Kobe, who was shutting the door.

"Kobe, you moron!" Jet exclaimed, "What do you think you're…"

"Shh!" Kobe said, "Keep your voice down! You're not even supposed to be up here right now! Remember that little rule Meri imposed yesterday?"

Jet fell silent, but still glared at Kobe. Azula felt more confused than ever. Frowning, she got to her feet and brushed herself off.

"What rule?" she asked, moving closer to the door, "And why are both of you here?"

Jet scowled and crossed his arm, shooting her a look of venom.

"I'm here because I was doing a good deed," Jet spat, "But no good deed goes unpunished, does it?"

"Oh, shut it, Jet," Kobe hissed, pushing them both away from the door again. He then turned to Azula and sighed. "There's a rule that says only doctors, nurses or other officials can walk around at night. Everyone else has to stay in their rooms or else Meri will deal with them."

"She's just trying to get back at me for that time…"

"Again, Jet, would you please shut it?" Kobe said, turning on Jet again. Sighing, he shook his head. "Anyway, I think she's up to something. It's always been sort of a rule that patients don't wander around into places they're not supposed to be, but there's never been a real curfew like this."

New rules? Azula wondered if her run in with the woman the other day had brought on this change in policy. She wouldn't take all the blame, though. She was sure Jet had something to do with it, too.

"I still don't understand why you had to shove us in here," she said, crossing her arms.

"I wasn't going to, until I heard you two arguing from all the way down the hall!" he said, "Do you realize how much noise you make? In any case, I was heading this way because Meri's coming. She's escorting a new arrival, and…"

He was cut off by another scream, and this time the hair on Azula's arm stood on end. It suddenly occurred to her where she had heard the scream before. In the storm when she had entered the dungeon, a long scream had echoed down the corridor. She had always thought it had been from Mai or Ty Lee, but now she realized she had been wrong. Looking at Jet briefly, she frowned.

"This new arrival," she said quietly, "Is she…?"

"Crazy?" Kobe said, "Yes. I didn't see much of her, but she's a young girl by the looks of it. One of us lit a light so we could escort her to her room, and she went off. She's absolutely terrified of fire."

"Being terrified of something and being crazy are two different things," Azula pointed out.

"Yes, I know," Kobe agreed, "But trust me, she's crazy. She was mumbling all sorts of things when she got here. Another nurse told me she heard her talking to someone who wasn't there."

Azula felt Jet's eyes on her for a moment, and she frowned. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kobe waved his hand to silence her.

"Quick! Meri's coming!" he said, "Azula, get back into bed and pretend you're asleep! Jet, hide under the bed, and don't say a word!"

Jet and Azula looked at each other, but didn't say anything. Azula watched Jet slide under the bed silently before she climbed back under the covers. Then she squeezed her eyes shut. The thought of that horrible woman coming near her made her heart beat fast. She knew Kobe was still in the room, because she didn't hear the door open. For what seemed like an eternity, there was only silence. Then, another scream split the air, and Azula heard footsteps on the other side of the door.

"Put that candle out, you fool!" she heard someone say, probably a male nurse.

"I can't!" said a second, "I won't be able to see without it!"

"Well, she's going to wake the whole hospital if you don't!" the first said, "And we're right by Azula's room! You really want to wake her up?"

Azula felt a small, ridiculous bubble of laughter come from inside her. Yes, why would they want to wake her up? She suppressed the laugh and continued to listen, hoping to learn more about what was going on.

"No! But I don't want to be blind either!" the second nurse said.

"Gentlemen!" a woman's voice said, "Why are we delaying?"

Azula's blood ran cold. That was Meri; there was no mistaking it. She felt Jet squirm underneath the bed, and she realized he liked her just as much as she did.

"I'm sorry, Nurse Meri," the first nurse said, "But he won't put out the candle, which is making her scream like a demon."

As if to prove his point, another scream split the air.

"Hmm. So I see," she heard Meri say. She sounded unconcerned with the problem. "Well, we've all endured plenty of nights of screaming from our little fire princess, so I am sure this will be nothing."

_Little fire princess, _Azula thought. _This little fire princess could have seen you ruined._

"Now, hurry up and get out of our way," Meri continued, "I have visitors that don't want to be bothered by new arrivals."

Visitors? Why would there be visitors this late at night? Azula dared to open an eye to look at Kobe, who looked as confused as she felt. At first she wondered if it was Zuko. He hadn't come by in several weeks, which she had thought strange. He wasn't one to give up that easily on lost causes. Then she heard Meri speak, and she knew it wasn't Zuko she was talking to.

"You two gentlemen want to see the Firenation's Princess?" she said, her voice cold.

"Yes, we have business pertaining to her," she heard a man say.

Azula's heart beat fast. What sort of business would they have with her? The war was over. There was nothing more that could be done to her. She was locked inside a hospital with as much power as a servant. What could they want with her?

"Business?" Meri said, "I didn't know the Firelord's council approved of such late business calls. May I ask why you have need of the girl at this hour?"

"We are not the Firelord's council," another man said, "We are Firenation officials, and that is all you need to know."

"Yes, yes, that's very nice," Meri said in a voice that made Azula think she was rolling her eyes. "But really, I cannot allow you to see a patient without proper cause."

Azula had been raised in the midst of politics where deals and bargains were made all the time and where everyone always fought to know the most knowledge. She knew exactly what Meri was doing. She would only keep the visitors out only as long as they withheld their information. If they wanted in, they would have to tell her.

As much as she wanted to know why they wanted her, Azula had an inexplicable fear of the visitors entering her room. She struggled to keep her breathing slow and normal, and she squeezed her eyes closed, hoping they would give up and go away.

It was then she heard the door open. Her heart pounding, Azula heard Kobe step out of the room. What was he doing? Was he going to confront Meri?

"Ah, Nurse Meri!" Kobe said as if her were surprised. "I didn't expect to see you here!"

"Kobe," Meri said coldly, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be keeping that cleaning boy under control?"

Jet moved under the bed, and Azula wondered what he could have done to make Meri angry. She figured it didn't take much, but she guessed that Jet had done something rash in the past few days.

"My duties to my patient come before Jet's," Kobe said evenly. "That is exactly why I'm here. I heard screaming, and I thought it might be Azula. I thought it would be good to check on her."

Meri snorted.

"Kala's made you jumpy, Kobe. You cannot react to every scream that comes from that room. The girl will just have to learn to handle herself," she said.

"Even so," Kobe said, "I checked on her and found the new arrival had woken her up. She's just fallen back to sleep."

"Really?" Meri said, "Because there are two gentlemen here that are interested in talking with her. I don't believe it would be too much to ask if you woke her back up, would it?"

Azula's breath caught in her throat. She hoped desperately that Kobe would be smart and say something to make them leave. Jet moved under the bed again, and she knew he was thinking the same thing.

"It would, actually," Kobe said. Azula heard the door shut and imagined him pulling it closed as the two men tried to look in. "She's been having trouble sleeping lately, and any amount of sleep she is able to get is important. I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I just cannot let you talk to my patient."

Azula heard one of the men grumble something in a low voice, but she couldn't make out the words. Then she heard Meri cluck her tongue in a disappointed way. As usual, Azula had a bad feeling.

"It is a shame, isn't it?" Meri said, obviously pretending to be upset, "But Nurse Kobe is her nurse, and what he says goes, at least until Nurse Kala and Dr. Lin return. I suppose that's that. Why don't we…"

"Wait," one man said, "I know those names. Aren't those the two that are in the capital right now?"

"Yes!" the other man agreed, "A thin man with glasses and that big woman."

"Well, that certainly sounds like Nurse Kala and Dr. Lin," Meri said, "But I don't know why they would travel all the way to the capital! Perhaps you know? I do like to know what my staff is up to."

"You're part of Dr. Lin's staff, though, aren't you?" Kobe said suddenly, his voice innocent and inquisitive. "I'd thought he'd be the one who likes to know what you're up to."

Azula could only imagine the glare that Meri was fixing Kobe with.

"Yes, you're right," Meri said tightly, "But for now, I am in charge, and I do like to know where my supervisor has gone."

"We could tell you," one of the men said, "But we'd have to see the girl first."

Azula held her breath for a moment before Kobe broke in.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but it's against policy. Nurse Meri will tell you, I'm sure. No visitors are permitted to the patients' rooms after hours. Just like only doctors and nurses are allowed to walk the halls," he said.

_He must have a death wish,_ Azula thought. But when she heard only silence, she knew Kobe had played his game well.

"Yes," Meri said reluctantly after a while, "That is true." She sighed. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I'm afraid I cannot get you in to visit tonight."

One man grunted.

"We'll be back," he said shortly, and with that, they walked away.

Azula listened to their footsteps as they retreated down the hall. She let out a breath she had been holding, and allowed herself to open her eyes for a moment. She shut them again quickly as she realized Meri was still out there.

"Well, Kobe," Meri said tightly, "I hope you are proud that you have reminded us of the rules at a very crucial time. I believe it is time for you to return to your room."

"Yes, it is," Kobe said, "I'll just… Oh, Nurse Meri! Wait one second! I think I dropped a letter in the room. It's very important. Perhaps I can just give it to you now and save you the trouble of walking past my room tomorrow to pick up the mail."

"I don't send letters for anyone, Kobe," Meri snapped, "And I certainly do not pick up their mail for them."

"Oh, yes! I completely forgot! My apologies. It was a very important letter, though. It contains some information about Azula that I would like to send Dr. Lin and Nurse Kala. I think they need to hear it," Kobe said.

Azula couldn't help but smirk. She didn't know what Kobe was up to, but he sure knew how to dangle bait in front of someone's nose. Meri was cruel, but she was as easy to draw out as a fish toward a fisherman's hook.

"Ah, well, maybe I could send it off for you," Meri said sweetly, "You have, after all, done so well tonight."

"Well, if you think it would be too much trouble…"

"No, not at all!" she insisted, "Please, go get it! I'll wait down the hall."

"Thank you, Nurse Meri," Kobe said.

He walked back into the room and shut the door. Azula opened her eyes and watched him. Pressing his ear against the door, he listened as Meri's footsteps moved away. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to her.

"Stay here until after sunrise tomorrow," he whispered, "Don't come out of this room. Meri will be watching it like a hawk. You, too, Jet."

"What!" Jet hissed.

"You heard me. I'll take care of the food, just stay here. Meri will eat you alive if she gets the chance. For once, Jet, just do what I say."

"She's all the way down the hall, though!" Jet said, poking his head out from under the bed, "I could slip away and…"

"You think Meri's that dumb?" Kobe said, "She's not down the hall. She's a few feet away. She'll catch you and use that against Kala and maybe Azula and me. Just stay here! I'll come get you tomorrow when it's safe."

Azula heard Jet groan as he slid back under the bed. She almost felt sorry for him, but she was still angry with him. She wished he could sneak out, just so she wouldn't have to be near him, but if that would do her more harm than good, she would put up with him.

"Fine," Jet mumbled, "What are you going to do about that letter?"

Kobe pulled out a scroll out his pocket.

"A decoy letter," he said, "I always keep a few on me. It mentions no names, and it's so vague no one can guess what it means."

Azula thought this was a crazy idea, but she didn't say anything. She sighed and shook her head. Things were becoming more complicated by the day.

"I'll see you later," Kobe said. He slipped out and shut the door behind him. Azula listened as he walked down the hall. Before he got far, she heard him stop.

"Oh, Nurse Meri!" he said, "I thought you were going to wait for me at the end of the hall."

"Does he really have to do that?" she heard Jet mutter from under the bed.

Azula didn't answer. She turned over and pulled the blankets up around. She doubted she would sleep at all after what she had just heard, but she still closed her eyes and tried to forget that Jet was under her bed. She almost managed calm her restless mind when another scream echoed down the hall.

No, there would be no sleep that night.

…

**Author's Notes:**

**So, as usual, I'm sure a lot of you are not very happy about the long wait, especially since I told you it would be "two weeks." I guess I was being optimistic. In all seriousness, though, I did have this part mostly written not too long after part 10. At one point, I considered posting what I had and breaking it into two chapters, but I decided against it just because I didn't want to keep having short, choppy chapters. From now on, I'm going to try to make the chapters longer, partly because I feel bad about not being very timely with these updates.**

**About this chapter- there's a lot of stuff that just seems, well, random. Like why is Azula becoming acquainted with an old pickpocket? It's all part of the plan, I hope. The hardest part of this chapter (besides the length) is the fact that Azula is now mad at Jet (and somehow this chapter ended with him under her bed. Go figure). LifeTimesWorth, I'm guessing you're probably angry at me for creating this rift, but all good things to those that wait. I did want to let Kobe get some more attention, and by pushing Jet out of the way, this got to happen. The scene with Azula's mother was also difficult to write, just because I wanted the dialogue to be precise. In fact, the dialogue spoken by Azula and Ursa is the way it is in Sozin's Comet (I think that's what the episode's called). Jet's words are added in, of course. Oh, and three Azulas in one room? I'm surprised the hospital is still standing. **

**I've been asked how long I plan to make this story. Well, I'm not sure. I have a certain amount of things to cover, and however many chapters it takes to cover it, that's how many there'll be. I don't see it being any less than 20 and no more than 25. That's not set in stone, though, so if it ends up being 19 or 26 chapters, I won't be surprised.**

**As always, there are people to thank. Kylie, for editing as always and listening to countless rambling ideas and plots. My brain is sometimes too messy to hold all of my thoughts, so often Kylie has to listen and remind me of what I said later (And sorry, Kylie, I didn't let you read the final draft before I posted this. I hope you will forgive me). As always, the reviewers, especially (on Fanfiction) LifeTimesWorth (is it possible for someone to be _this _enthusiastic about a story?), Melody Sparrow, SaberGirl1005, VividDreamer624 and Hawthorne2 (Hawthorne2, I apologize for that hiatus I said I was trying not to go on), and (On DA) xlollx (as always), and Jetzula4eva (yes, I do know I'm thanking you twice). All the reviews are great motivators, especially for something as long as this. And to Passionworks who is always full of great advice.**

**One more note: For those of you who would like a visual for what goes through my mind when I write this stuff, there's some rough "fanart" that I drew while writing some of the parts on deviantArt. Right now there are only two, but I think there will be more in the future. In any case, feel free to check them out. My name on deviantArt is the same as Fanfiction, but I will also try to include links in my profile. **

**Wait, make that two more notes. Eventually, there will be editing done to the previous parts. Nothing major, just a little grammar and detail fix hear and there. Nothing major. There are instances where I like to contradict myself, which is rather annoying. **

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated! **


	12. Chapter 12

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Twelve:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar: the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

…

Waiting for the sun to rise was like waiting for the grass to grow; it felt like it would never happen. It seemed to take even longer lying on the hard floor underneath the bed. Jet tried his best to remain still so he wouldn't wake Azula, who seemed to have no trouble falling asleep. Perhaps he could have managed falling asleep as well if it hadn't been for the screamer next door.

_This is why they rarely put people in this wing, _he thought as another wail echoed through the wing. At first, he had tried to keep count of the number of screams that he heard, but soon he gave up. There were too many. Eventually, to pass the time, he tried to decide what kind of person the new arrival was. She was insane, of course; that much was obvious. By the high pitch of her screams, Jet guessed she was young, maybe around eleven or twelve years old. And though they were high, the screams weren't as loud as Azula's had been. Perhaps she was a small person with small lungs.

_Size doesn't necessarily determine how loud her voice is, though_, he mused. _After all, Smellerbee could holler halfway through the forest when she wanted to._

The thought made him smirk. No, size didn't determine ferocity or volume. Another scream rang out, and the smirk was replaced by the grimace. Whoever the girl was, she had obviously been through a lot. Something had left her tortured. The doctors and nurses would probably try to fix her, as they had for Azula, but the only person he knew that could make any headway with a case like this was Kala. And for reasons they didn't know, she was in the capital.

_The capital? Why is she in the capital? And what could she be doing that would make two Firenation officials remember her name? And she's always telling me to stay out of trouble!_

These thoughts had kept his mind racing since the encounter with Meri and the two men. No matter how often he told himself that it was probably something to do with the Firelord checking on his sister, he couldn't feeling something was wrong. Why would Kala be mixed up in Firenation business? Her only reason to be in the Firenation was to help people, and she could help plenty of people without going to the capital. And Dr. Lin never liked to leave his post. He was convinced that something would go wrong the moment he put his foot out the door. Why would he leave?

_Maybe the hospital's scheduled for demolition, _he thought, but he discarded the idea as soon as it entered his mind. The Firelord would never approve destroying the hospital, especially since the war had ended not long ago. And besides, why would he put his sister there if he was going to tear down the building?

In any case, a demolition wouldn't involve Azula. The two men had specifically said they had business with her. What kind of business? They hadn't sounded like the kind of people to stop in for a short visit to inquire about her health. He supposed Azula still wasn't very popular throughout the nation, but she was locked up in a hospital. She could do no harm now, and she would never have the life she had once had again. Likewise, her father was behind bars and would most likely never see the light of day again for the rest of his days. What threat was there? What reason did they have to worry about Azula?

_I doubt they're worried she's going to kill herself, _he thought. No, the general opinion would be a happy one if it were discovered that the Firenation Princess had taken her own life. There would probably be celebrating and feasting. Everyone would be rejoicing that the monster that had torn their homeland apart in war was dead. The thought made him sick.

What if she had? What if she had succeeded in thwarting Dr. Lin's attempts at keeping her alive? Jet immediately pushed the thought away and tried not to think of any others like it. There were too many what ifs, and he didn't want to spend the night going through all of them.

Suddenly the girl down the hall screamed again, and this time he jumped. No matter how many times he heard it, he couldn't get used to its shrillness. The bed creaked as Azula moved abruptly. Some of the blankets spilled over the edge of the bed, and he guessed the sudden scream had startled her as well. Perhaps she wasn't as good as sleeping through the shrieks as he had thought she had been. After a moment, it occurred to Jet that she had probably just pretended to be asleep like him.

He sighed, the sound louder than he had intended. What could he do? The distance that had grown between him and Azula was too great. If he said something, she would ignore him. If he offered comfort, she would push him away. If he offered an apology, she would refuse to listen.

"_I want to be alone! Can't you just leave me alone!" _

Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why couldn't he leave her on her own? She deserved it. She had wrecked more lives than anyone could count. His parents were dead because of the war started by her family. She deserved to live out her days alone. There was nothing that could justify her actions.

Perhaps that was why he was so angry with himself. She was the very thing he had spent his life fighting against. She was the image of the Firenation that he had sought to destroy. But he continued to help her. Even now when he was angry with her, he only wanted to help her. It wasn't just because of Kala or whatever "healing" she always talked about. There was something else that kept him from giving up.

Another scream came, and Azula moved again. Whatever gap there was between them, they both were stuck in the same place. They were both stuck in the confines of the hospital room, forced to listen to the shrieks coming from down the hall. Their nerves would be frayed by the time morning came, and Azula's would probably be worse off than him. After all, hadn't she been in the same position as the girl?

Summoning up his courage, he decided he would say something to her.

"You all right?" he asked quietly, his voice hardly above a whisper.

For a long moment, there was only silence. Jet was certain that Azula would just ignore him, or that she just hadn't heard him. He was just about to roll over and try another attempt at sleep, not willing to bring on her anger at this time of night.

Then she responded, so quietly he almost didn't hear it.

"No," she whispered, her voice hoarse and shaky. "How can I be?"

He didn't have an answer for this. Of course she wasn't all right. It was a stupid question to ask. Words wouldn't come to him, so a new silence fell between them. Just when he thought they were done, she spoke again.

"Did… Did my screams sound like that?" she asked.

Jet sighed. There was no good way to answer this question.

"No," he said, trying to think of a way to avoid the question. "Your voice is different than hers."

"You know what I mean," she said, the bed creaking as she shifted. "Did they sound as… as disturbing?"

He hesitated before answering her. There was a reason she was asking him, and though he wasn't completely sure what that reason was, he knew that he should proceed carefully. Thinking his words through, he finally settled on an answer.

"It is always disturbing to hear someone screaming in this hospital," he said, "Especially at night. It's hard to tell if one scream is more disturbing than another. They're always filled with…." He stopped. Perhaps it was best to leave it at that.

But Azula wouldn't let it go.

"Filled with…?" she said, moving slightly.

Jet sighed and turned over onto his side. How could he describe the screams of the hospital? When you heard one, you knew something was wrong. Sometimes, though, all you could do was listen. Listen to the horrible sound echo through the hall. They were filled with everything. Fear, pain, anger, sorrow… The list went on and on. They were all horrible to listen to.

"Jet?" Azula prompted.

Jet closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I don't know," he said, "I don't think there's a word for it."

…

Azula waited for a further response from Jet, but none came. Eventually, she decided that he had given into sleep. Sitting up in bed, she rested her head in her hands, trying to prepare herself for the screams that came almost at random. The more that she listened to them, the more she found herself wondering about how she had sounded to the rest of the hospital. If she had sounded anything like this girl… She didn't want to think about it.

_You had reason, _she told herself, _there's nothing to be ashamed of._

But the image of the other Azulas standing before her kept coming to the front of her mind. The image of the poor, lost Azula made her wonder how far she had really fallen. Another scream echoed down the hall, and she pressed her hands against her ears.

This was too much. She could not listen to this girl each night. Hearing her once in the storm had been bad enough. How was she supposed to listen to her every night? She closed her eyes and rested her head on her knees. She couldn't help imagining the pain that the girl was in. No one would understand her. The doctors would try to force treatments upon her to see if they could heal her. That kind of pain was not the kind that could be healed with a bandage. It went much deeper.

What the girl needed was someone like Kala, but Kala was gone. She was in the capital, for whatever reason. Why would an Earth Kingdom woman working in a Firenation hospital have any business in the capital? Doctors had nothing to do with politics. Maybe they needed more funding. Maybe…

Another scream. Azula found her thoughts torn back to the girl. She couldn't do this. She couldn't just let the girl scream herself to sleep every night. Someone had to do something to help her. Someone had to bring Kala back. But if Kala was in the capital, it could be days before she returned. And those two men had said they had seen her. Azula had grown up in the capital, and she knew it was bad to attract the attention of the wrong people. Just from hearing the men's voices she could tell they were the kind of people who meant nothing but trouble. A nurse didn't attract attention in the capital. Someone who was up to something did, though. Azula felt a deep dread fill her. Someone had to get Kala out of there! Maybe if she sent her a message…

Her thoughts snapped back to the girl as a scream split the air. She had to help her. If Kala wasn't coming back, she would help her. Azula would do something to help the girl. In a way, they weren't that different, were they? They were both misunderstood. They both dealt with pain that was more than physical.

But she was no nurse. She would tell Kobe or have him tell another nurse how to help her. There was no way she could help the girl face-to-face. It would be too…familiar. She didn't want to be reminded of the pain she had gone through with the voices, the faces, and whatever else she had seen. She would tell Kobe to watch out for Meri. Meri wouldn't understand her at all. She would be cruel to the girl. Azula would make sure that Kobe knew exactly what to…

The next scream stopped her train of thought dead and made her lose focus of what she was thinking. Maybe nobody else could help the girl but her. Nobody had understood her except Kala and… Yes, she would help her. The doctors and nurses would do the girl more harm than good anyway. She could protect her. She would take her on as her own charge. If she could help herself, why couldn't she help this girl? They weren't that different after all.

Azula lay back against the pillow and closed her eyes. A plan formed in her mind, and she felt herself smiling. She would help this girl, and by doing so, she would help herself. Another scream rang out, but this time Azula was already asleep, lost in her dreams of success. While the rest of the people that could hear the screams grimaced and turned uneasily in their beds, Azula didn't hear a thing.

…

Morning came with a pounding on the door and a pounding in his head. Jet rolled onto his back under the bed, groaning. He had finally managed to fall asleep for a few short hours, it seemed, when morning had come. Rubbing his face, he wondered if he should answer the door when Azula swung her feet over the side of the bed. Silently, she tiptoed across the room, and with a little hesitation, she opened the door.

"All clear," he heard Kobe say as he stepped into the room. Jet watched his feet walk toward the bed, and suddenly, he found Kobe's smiling face staring right at him. "Why, good morning sunshine!" he laughed.

Jet didn't find it so funny.

"Shut it!" he muttered, aiming a punch at Kobe. Being slow and groggy, he missed completely, and Kobe grabbed his outstretched arm. With a quick tug, he pulled the groaning Jet out from his hideout.

"Not much of a Freedom Fighter in the morning, are you?" Kobe said, pulling Jet to his feet.

"Ow! Watch it!" Jet snapped, smacking Kobe's hand away. "That's my bad shoulder, you twit!" He rolled his shoulder, massaging it with his free hand. "It took two months for it to heal. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't yank it from its socket!"

"I thought it was the right one," Kobe said innocently.

"No, it's the left! It's always been the left!" Jet fumed, fixing Kobe with a furious scowl. "And if you're going to pull my limbs apart, please wait until Kala gets back. I wouldn't trust you setting my arm!" he added.

"Pardon me. I forgot I'm supposed to keep track of every single injury you've sustained from your Freedom Fighting days," Kobe retorted sarcastically. "And I can set an arm just as well as Kala, thank you very much. You're just overreacting."

"I got slammed by a rock! I almost died!" Jet exclaimed. "Have you ever been crushed by a piece of rock three times you size?"

"You sure are grumpy in the morning, aren't you?" Kobe sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm going to kill you, Kobe!"

Jet took a step forward to kick Kobe in the shin, but Kobe dodged it with a spin. Grumbling, Jet took his good arm and hit Kobe square in the chest, sending him flying backwards. The nurse caught himself and approached again, this time aiming a kick at Jet's ankle. Jet saw him coming, dodged, dropped to the ground, and knocked Kobe's feet out from underneath him. Kobe landed with a hard thud, groaning. Sitting up, he looked at Jet and raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be fighting," he muttered, straightening the sleeves of his robes.

Frowning, Jet stood and offered him a hand.

"I'm not, but sometimes I can't resist," he said, pulling Kobe to his feet.

"You're going to get in trouble," Kobe told him as he straightened out the rest of his uniform. "You're not as strong as you used to be, Jet. Kala's told me. If you push yourself too far…"

"Yeah, I know!" Jet snapped. He turned his back on the nurse. "I'll injure myself to the point that I'll be crippled for life. Really, you think I don't already know?"

Silence stretched between them, and Kobe shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Jet refused to look at him for a minute. He didn't care if Kobe was right; he didn't need to be reminded of how his life had changed.

"Sorry," Kobe said finally, "I guess Kala's hounded you pretty hard about that already."

Jet sighed. It would do no good to fight with Kobe about something like this. It wasn't his fault, after all, and if Kala had been there, she would have done the same. No, he decided, she would have him mopping floors all day if she ever caught him fighting.

"She has," he said, "And she's right. But it still feels good to knock a nurse or two out in the morning." He smirked as Kobe's face screwed up in an angry scowl.

"I was not knocked out!" he insisted. "I would have been up in a second ready to take you down!"

"You were lying flat on your back like a helpless baby turtleduck," Jet retorted. "Come on. We both know I won."

"You, sir, are pushing your luck!" Kobe said, "I could have you mopping floors all day! After all, I am Azula's nurse for the moment…"

"Where is she?" Jet asked, looking around the room for the patient they were both supposed to be looking after. The room was empty, besides the nurse and himself, and Azula was nowhere to be seen.

"Spirits!" Kobe muttered under his breath. "How does she do that?"

"What? Avoid two people who are distracted by a fight?" Jet said sarcastically, "I don't know. Magic maybe."

"Oh, shut it! She seemed quite reasonable the other day in the hall when Meri showed up. I suppose she's a lot smarter than I give her credit for, holding off Meri the way she did. But she seemed so agreeable when I told her to go back to her room…" Kobe rambled. He began looking around the room, behind furniture, under the bed. Jet just watched him, knowing his search was useless.

Then he thought about what Kobe had said. Azula holding off Meri? When had they ever met? Kobe had certainly failed to fill him in on that story.

"When was this?" Jet asked, frowning.

"The day you two decided to become mortal enemies," Kobe said as he lifted up the covers on the bed. "She was out wandering about when she ran into the old hag. She was smart enough to pretend she was completely mental until I found her. Then after that she asked me to go out into the garden, and I told her no and took her back to her room. I couldn't have her following me, so…"

Jet clenched his teeth in rage. That's how Azula had gotten outside! He had followed Kobe before and knew how easy it was to creep behind him without him noticing. The nurse hardly ever looked behind him! He bit back an angry scream and grabbed two fistfuls of hair from his head. Kobe was smart, but he wasn't smart enough to outsmart the Princess of the Firenation.

"Kobe, you're an idiot!" he exclaimed, crossing the room and grabbing the nurse by the shoulders. "Did you think she was really going to listen to you when you told her to stay put? She followed you! That's how she got outside!" He should the nurse with every word to emphasize his point.  
Kobe turned a pale, ghostly white as the blood drained from his face. He opened his mouth several times to speak, but no words came out.

"This is why we're having a problem now!" Jet said, shaking him again, "If you had just stayed inside like everyone else until the sun rose, she wouldn't have found me before I was up in the tree! Or better yet, you could have looked over your shoulder once in a while to make sure she wasn't following you!"

He let Kobe go and pressed the heels of his palms to his forehead. All of this could have been avoided if Kobe had just been a little more cautious! Jet was furious; he felt a vein twitching in his head, like the one that twitched on Dr. Lin's face when he could barely contain his anger. When it came to controlling their anger, the two of them weren't very different.

He looked back at Kobe, ready to yell at him some more, but he stopped himself when he saw Kobe's face. If Kobe had been pale before, he was even more so now. There was no color left in his face, only a little pink in his lips, and even that looked more greyish than pink. He was standing, but he looked like he would faint at any moment. Jet waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention. When that didn't work, he smacked him lightly.

"Kobe, Kobe!" he said, smacking him a little harder, "What's wrong with you? You look like…"

"She followed me," Kobe managed to whisper. "Jet, she followed me out into the garden."

"Yes, she did," Jet said, "And then she went to her spot under the magnolia tree by the pond. Don't you pass out! I'm the one that should be passing out here, not you!"  
Kobe shook his head.

"What if she followed me?" he mumbled, "What if she…"  
Jet sighed, grabbed Kobe by the shoulders and directed him to the bed. There was no sense in letting him pass out on the hard floor. Jet didn't think things could get any worse. Azula was gone, her nurse looked like he was on his deathbed, and if he went after her himself, she would just run away from him. He wished for at least the thousandth time that Kala hadn't left.

Kobe slumped down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, his eyes not really focusing on anything. Why was Kobe acting this way? Yes, it made sense that he would feel guilty for letting Azula out into the garden, but that wasn't any reason for him to look like he had just seen a ghost. There was something else that was bugging him, though Jet couldn't even begin to guess what it could be.

"You are not going to faint!" he told Kobe again, grabbing him by the collar of his robes. "You are going remain awake and alert, and you are going to tell me why you are acting like this!"

Kobe looked up at him with a desperate look on his face.

"She followed me," he said again as if that explained everything.

Jet forced himself to take a breath. Punching Kobe wouldn't do any good.

"Any fool with half a brain can do that, Kobe," he said through clenched teeth.

"No, _she _followed me!" he said, putting emphasis on the word "she". "If Azula saw me…" Kobe's voice faded as his eyes began to lose their focus.

Jet grabbed him again and forced him to look at him. No, he would not let Kobe pass out in a patient's room. If Meri came around and saw him, they would both be in for it.

"Saw you doing what?" he said, more confused than ever. He smacked the nurse again to get his attention. "Look, Kobe. Azula followed you out to the garden, but she went straight to her tree. Whatever you're worried about, she didn't see. Now will you please look like you're among the living? Die when Kala's around. I don't have time to cart around your dead body with Meri breathing down my neck!"

Kobe looked at Jet for a moment, a look of grateful disbelief on his face. His eyes regained some of their focus, and his skin didn't look so grey.

"So she didn't follow me in the garden?" he asked, a small smile on his face.

Jet sighed impatiently. Kobe was a fool if he ever knew one.

"No, she didn't. And what were you doing out there anyway?" he said.

Unfortunately, he didn't receive an answer. Kobe, still smiling, flopped over on the bed in a dead faint. Jet just stared at the nurse for a moment before he realized what had happened. Kobe had passed out from sheer relief.

"Great," Jet muttered, "Now I have two people to look after. One could be halfway across the hospital, and one is passed out on her bed. And I'm just the cleaning boy!"

Shaking his head, he grabbed the empty pitcher on the table and slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He would deal with Kobe with a cold pitcher of water. Then he would send the nurse after his patient and hope the hospital was still in order by the time he found her. While Kobe was on a wild goose chase, Jet would return to his room and sleep. If the nurse could have extra time to sleep in Azula's bed, he could surely have some time to sleep in his own.

…

Azula ran her fingers through her short hair as she walked into the common room. She still wasn't used to the short length, but she had found it much easier to manage than long hair. It was one less thing to be worried about, and she had a lot of things to be worried about.

Thu was eating his breakfast at a tiny table in the corner of the room when she spotted him. It seemed he had spotted her already, for he was waving at her and gesturing at the seat across from him. He didn't miss much, she decided as she crossed the room. Sighing, Azula gladly sank into the seat across from the old man, rubbing her tired eyes as she did.

"Good gracious, Zara," Thu said, shaking his head at her, "You look exhausted. Didn't you sleep at all last night?"

Azula sighed and thought again how Thu didn't miss much.

"Not much," she said honestly. "There was a new arrival in the South Wing. She screamed all night."

"Ah," Thu said, nodding his understanding, "I heard about that. It's the talk of the morning, it seems. From what I've heard, she's from an Earth Kingdom family who was living in the Firenation for whatever reason. Firenation soldiers killed her parents and tortured her and her two younger brothers. She was the only survivor."

Azula looked up, feeling the blood drain from her face. Tortured? When had it ever been right to torture children? It was one thing to hold hostages, but to torture them? She felt her stomach turn uneasily.

"Are you all right?" Thu said, frowning, "This isn't a very light breakfast topic."

Azula nodded. She had been trained to deal with worse than an upsetting story. Willing herself to calm down, she nodded again.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said, "Please continue."

Thu looked doubtful, but he shrugged and continued his story.

"As I was saying, she was the only survivor of her family. A Firenation family took her in after the war, but she nearly killed their son when she saw him firebending. It seems she cannot stand fire or firebenders at all. I've heard friends of her parents from the Earth Kingdom sent for her to come live with them, but when they came for her, she refused to leave. She doesn't trust anyone, it seems. They finally sent her here because there was no other place for her to go. The Earth Kingdom is too far away, and they're afraid she'll hurt herself before she arrives at a hospital there."

Azula swallowed. The girl was an orphan with no family because of those soldiers. What if they had been her soldiers? She had never ordered the torture of children, but what if they had done it on their own? She put a hand on her stomach to steady herself. She felt sick.

"Really, Zara, you do not look good!" Thu exclaimed. "I should have known better than to tell you such things in the morning! And you looked so tired already. You'd think I'd be less of a fool by this age."

He shook his head and poured her a cup of tea, placing it in front of her. Azula stared at the cup and was immediately reminded of her uncle Iroh, the tea enthusiast. For that reason alone, she had always tried to stay away from tea, to send her uncle a message that she wasn't his daughter but Ozai's.

"No, thank you," she said quietly, "I don't drink tea."

"Oh, come now," Thu said, "It'll make you feel better. Besides, I had them brew it exactly how I used to make it back in my village. They won't let me do any of my own cooking anymore, but I do make sure they get my tea right. Go on, drink a little. I think you'll enjoy it."

Azula knew Thu would keep pestering her until she drank it. If it had been anyone else, she would have refused, but the old man had been exceptionally kind to her. She wasn't at the palace anymore, and she couldn't afford to brush off such acts of kindness as if they were nothing more than pieces of dirt. Slowly, she raised the cup to her lips and sipped the warm tea. Immediately, she felt better. She felt the warmth of the tea spread down into her fingers, similar to the way she had felt it when she was a firebender. No, she corrected herself, she was still a firebender. She just couldn't bend.

Thu nodded approvingly.

"See?" he said, "Nothing better than a cup of Old Man Thu's tea. That's what they used to say in my village." He chuckled. "And you say you don't drink tea! Why ever not?"

Azula shrugged.

"My uncle loves tea," she said, "And he hates me."

"Oh, I'm sure he doesn't hate you," Thu said with a small smile. "And in any case, that's no reason to hate tea."

"Oh, he hates me," she said, nodding her head, "He thinks I'm nothing but a liar and snake. He wouldn't trust me if his life depended on it."

Thu looked at her carefully. His gaze was thoughtful, as if he were reading her face. Azula felt uncomfortable under his searching eyes. It felt almost as if he could see right through her, and she wished she could disappear.

"Well now," he said, "Are you nothing but a liar and a snake?" His voice was kind, but his eyes were still sharp and studious.

Azula wrung her hands under the table.

"I would hope not," she said shortly.

"Ah, and I would hope that I am not old and tiresome, but what we are and what we hope we to be are two different things." He poured himself a cup of tea and took a drink. "I will keep in mind that you hope you are not a liar and a snake, but my first question remains. Are you?" he asked, watching her carefully.

"If my uncle says I am, then I most likely am," Azula said, avoiding his gaze. "After all, they say he is a very wise man."

Thu leaned back in his chair and stroked his grey beard thoughtfully.

"A wise man, eh? Zara, I've heard stories of wise men that said nothing could harm them because they were so wise. Those kind of men usually find their pockets picked cleaner than anyone else. But tell me more about this uncle of yours. A tea lover cannot be all that bad," he said, a little smile spreading across his face.

Azula sipped her tea again as she thought about what to say about her uncle. Iroh was… Iroh. There wasn't anyone else she could think of that was like him. If she described him too much, she was afraid that Thu might guess who she was.

"Well, he's old. He loves tea and Pai Sho. He's a powerful firebender, I suppose, and he's been around the world with my brother," she said, "And he hates me."

Thu raised an eyebrow.

"You're sure that he hates you, Zara?" he said.

She nodded.

"I deserve it, let me assure you. I used to live a very different life," she said. What were these words that were coming out of her mouth? She deserved it? Did she really want to engage the old man's curiosity? The less anyone knew about her, the better. She took another sip of tea.

Thu shrugged as if it were nothing.

"Today isn't a day to discuss why one is deserving of hate," he said, taking a drink of tea. "Spring will be done soon, and we will have missed the beautiful blooms. I plan on spending my day out in the garden. Would you care to join me? I've been told by my nurse that the magnolia tree is beautiful."

Azula went cold. The last place she wanted to go was there, under the magnolia tree. She didn't want to be reminded of the faces or of Jet. She wanted to forget all of it.

"I'd rather not," she said, looking down, "I've seen the magnolia too many times already."

Thu shrugged.

"All right. Then we'll see the other trees in bloom. There are plenty others to see, let me assure you. But before we go, remind me to slip these Pai Sho pieces into that man's pocket." He held up the bag of Pai Sho pieces and pointed across the room.

Azula turned to look at where Thu was pointing. The man was staring longingly as two men played Pai Sho. He looked utterly miserable.

Thu laughed and took another drink of tea. "I can assure you, Zara, he will never cheat at Pai Sho again. He misses the game too much to risk losing his pieces again. Now, eat up! These things can't be done on an empty stomach!"

After she had eaten and Thu had returned the pieces to the unobservant man's pocket, Azula followed the old man out to garden. He was a funny old man, like she had noted before. Unlike the other elderly patients of the hospital, Thu seemed to want nothing more than to keep moving. He only stopped when he spotted a flower that was new to him, and then he would immediately whip out a small notebook to sketch the flower.

"My father was a pickpocket like me," he told her as he sketched a delicate white blossom no bigger than the nail on her little finger. "Unlike me, though, he kept the things he picked. He taught me his ways and taught me that a good pickpocket is a sharp pickpocket. They're observant, smart, and, of course, cunning. To teach me to be observant, he had me draw the flowers in our garden and accurately describe them when he asked me to." Thu bent down to study the flower closely. "But I also like to draw for the fun of it. After all, these blossoms only come once a year. They'll be gone by the time summer rolls around."

"Your father was a pickpocket, too?" Azula said. "Did he ever get caught?"

"No," Thu said, not looking up from his flower, "He never did. He did get rather wealthy over time, though. He passed on a good amount of his fortune to me after he died, but I gave most of it away. Ill-gotten money never pleased me very much."

"But you're a pickpocket," Azula said, "Isn't that how you make a living?"

Thu laughed, making a final note in his sketchbook.

"In all actuality, I am not a pickpocket," he said, snapping the book shut and dropping it into his pocket, "I was trained to be one, and I was expected to be one, but I never grew up to be one like my father."

Azula frowned.

"You're not? Then why do you steal things from other patients?" she asked incredulously.

"I didn't _steal _them," Thu said defensively, his brows knitting together in a slight frown. "I was confiscating them temporarily until their owners learned their lessons. Pickpockets don't give things back. I do." He squinted at the tiny white flower, counting how many petals it had.

"So what did you do?" she asked, looking at a bright purple flower that was as big as her hand, "If you didn't become a pickpocket like your father, what did you do for a living?"

"I became an herbalist," Thu said proudly, "I had drawn and documented so many plants over the years that I had gained a natural ability to identify which plants were useful and which ones could kill you. In a way, a pickpocket's skills came in handy. I can spot the hard-to-find plants, I know their purpose, and I can think of new ways to use them if I need to."

"But that wasn't what you were born to do," Azula said, looking up at him. "Your father taught you to be a pickpocket. How could you change that?"

Thu chuckled and shook his head.

"Very easily, actually," he said. "You see, Zara, we don't always have to follow in our predecessor's footsteps. We can be different. We can use the skills they taught us and put them to use in a different way, a better way perhaps."

Azula frowned as she thought about this. She had been told all her life that she would follow in her father's footsteps. When Zuko had been banished, she had thought that she would surely take Ozai's place one day, even if she hadn't wanted to. Another option had never occurred to her. It wasn't like she could have told her father that she wanted to give up the throne for something else. Yet Zuko had done just that when he joined the Avatar, even though he had eventually taken the throne and become Firelord. She shook her head and pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She would think about it later.

Thu walked all over the garden. At first, Azula thought the old man would be the kind to follow the path, but he soon abandoned it. He even walked back to the wall, looking up at the trees. It seemed to Azula that he walked everywhere except to the pond under the magnolia tree, and for that she was very grateful. Thu did most of the talking, it seemed. He would ramble on aimlessly about a plant or tree, telling her what he knew about it. Every once in a while, he would check to see if she was listening by asking her opinion of something. At first, she would answer vaguely, saying a flower was "very nice" or "very pretty". Thu then would ask her so many questions following her dull answer that she soon learned to be specific the first time she answered.

When she told Thu she used to like to visit the turtleduck pond, he showed her another on the opposite side of the garden. It was tucked back into a corner by the wall. She would have never found it if Thu hadn't shown her because the trees grew very close to one another, and the bushes and grasses made getting to the pond a challenge. Thu showed her an easy way by lifting a low branch of a tree. He laughed when she thanked him several times, not understanding why a spot like this was so important to her. The foliage around the pond was dense, but the trees were not very tall. If Jet was hiding in one of them, she could spot him easily.

Thu also showed her the hospital's herb garden.

"Most of the time, they try to buy medicines from the people who make them for a living," he said, stooping low to the ground to examine one of the plants. He plucked a leaf off of it carefully, doing it so gently the rest of the plant hardly even moved. "But it's also good to have a backup plan. Here, take this," he said, handing her the leaf.

"What is it?" Azula asked.

"A very strong antidote for most common poisons," he said. "Like if you make tea out of the wrong flower. Or food poisoning. It even works on some bites. Snakes bites, for example. Just drop it in a pot of tea and let it soak."

Azula looked at him curiously.

"Will I need this here?" she asked, frowning.

Thu shrugged.

"Probably not," he said, "But I always keep a few on me. Besides, I hear Nurse Kobe is in charge of the meals while our lovely Nurse Kala is gone. You never know with his cooking."

The afternoon rolled around, and Thu decided he wanted to rest his legs before returning to the hospital common room for lunch. Azula had never really bothered with lunch. She would eat breakfast, spend her days under the magnolia, and then return in time for a late supper. When she told Thu this, he shook his head.

"As long as you're in a place that's begging you to eat, you might as well eat," he said. "Besides, you can't walk all day if you're skin and bones."

"I'm not skin and bones!" Azula exclaimed. "I am perfectly fine!"

Thu laughed.

"I wasn't saying you were," he said, his eyes merry, "But it won't do to have you skipping meals. In a way, you remind me of my daughter. She used to eat in the morning and then make herself so busy that she would forget to eat until she would come home in the afternoon."

"You have a daughter?" Azula asked.

"Two," Thu said, "And one son. They were all married except for my youngest daughter, Reema. She's the one who I was telling you about. I had an old wife and two grandsons, too."

A sick feeling crept into Azula's stomach. Thu had said "had" instead of "have". Part of her knew the answer before she asked the question, but she had to ask it anyway.

"Where are they now?" she asked, knowing she was not going to be happy with the answer.

Thu's eyes lost a bit of their light, and his face fell. Almost immediately, Azula regretted asking the question. Thu waited a long time before answering, and when he did, he let out a long, sad sigh.

"They died from a sickness," he said sadly. "It came upon my village so fast that there wasn't anything I could do about it." He looked up at the sky sadly, shaking his head. "It's so strange to be an herbalist, someone who knows how to cure so many illnesses with just plants, and not be able to help your own family. The sickness wiped out half my village. I even came down with it, but I was saved by healers that were passing through after the war was over. Me, the oldest and weakest in my family. Not my grandchildren or children. Me. I've learned one thing out of all of this, though. Fate is unpredictable. Things don't always come out the way they should, and life is not fair."

Azula was silent. She felt as if she were trespassing. There was no reason this man had to share such a sad story with her. There was a lump in her throat that stayed where it was no matter how hard she tried to swallow it, and she could not help but feel guilty for asking the question to begin with. But in a strange way, she felt relieved. At least Thu's family hadn't been killed by soldiers like so many others had. She could control soldiers, but she couldn't control a sickness.

"I'm sorry," she managed at last, "I shouldn't have asked."

Thu looked at her and gave her a small, sad smile.

"Don't be, Zara," he said, "I'm glad you asked. It means someone will remember them besides me."

"Is that why you're here at this hospital?" she asked, "Because of the illness?"

Thu shrugged.

"More or less," he said, resting his hands on his cane. "The real reason is that I am old. I may pretend I'm not, but I am, and there is no one to care for me anymore in my village. The sickness that killed my family nearly killed me as well. I cannot do all the things I used to, nor can I rely solely on myself anymore."

"So there is no one in your village?" Azula asked. "No friends? Surely there is someone who would be willing to care for you."

"I'm sure there is," he said, "But I'd rather stay here."

"Why? Don't you want to go back?" she asked, "To your home? Even if no one's there, don't you want to go back?"

Thu sighed. It was a long, tired sigh, one that showed his true age. Gripping the top of his cane with his withered hands, he gazed up at the sky, his eyes far away. For a few minutes, Azula didn't think he would answer her. Swallowing, she looked at her hands. Perhaps she shouldn't have asked. Perhaps it was too personal of a question. Perhaps she was just horrible at asking the right questions.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "You don't have to…"

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Zara," Thu said gently. He sighed, still looking up at the sky. "What you ask me is something everyone working at this hospital has wondered. Why do I stay here? Why do I choose to live here? My village is still standing, more or less. My house is still sturdy. There's no reason why I cannot return."

He paused and looked at her for a moment before sighing and shaking his head.

"The life I once had, Zara, no longer exists. My family is dead along with my dearest friends. There is no returning to their smiling faces. The place I once called home is a place of sadness now. It holds nothing for me anymore, just memories of what used to be."

"But it's your home," Azula said, "Isn't it? You've spent your whole life there."

Thu shook his head slightly.

"Have you ever heard anyone say, 'Home is where the heart is'? No? Well, I suppose that's the case here. My family was my heart, my life. They're gone, Zara. Returning to that place will not bring them back. Grave markers are not people," he said. He turned his head to the sky again, studying it with such intensity that Azula looked up as well. "Since my heart is no longer there, I see no reason to return. Why should I? I'd only be miserable. Here, I can live out my days in peace, happiness even."

Azula nodded. She thought she understood.

"You don't remember them here?" she asked, "Is it easier to forget about them?"

Thu looked at her suddenly and shook his head emphatically.

"Spirits, no!" he exclaimed, "I could never forget about them. Every day I think about them. No, Zara, the happiness I gain here is not from forgetting my old life. I gain it from starting a new one. Even someone as old as me can turn over a new leaf. Life is for living, Zara, and that's exactly what I'm doing."

Azula frowned. His words reminded her of the ones the Lady spoke to her in the Place of Refuge, and she wondered if it was just a coincidence that he was speaking them now.

"You may think I'm a crazy old man," he said, "But there are some things I know. Maybe you'll learn some of them, too, if you're lucky." Then he stopped and frowned. "Or unlucky. I suppose it's a matter of perspective."

Azula opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a nurse talking loudly to a patient.

"No, Hope!" she said, "No! You cannot go into the pond!"

Thu stood up from the bench, a curious look on his face, and took a step toward the nurse's voice. Azula followed him. They rounded the path, and the place that Azula loved and hated the most came into view: the pond below the magnolia tree. Thu stopped and looked silently toward the nurse and her patient. Without any explanation, Azula knew exactly who the patient was.

It had to be the girl, the new arrival. In one look, Azula knew this girl was as lost in her mind as she had been in hers. It was in her eyes. They had a broken, unfocused gleam to them that gave Azula chills. The girl's skin was deathly white. Her features were small and delicate, as if even the slightest breeze could blow her off her feet. Her eyes were pale and grey, looking more like they should belong to a ghost rather than a living person. Her hair light brown hair was thin and hung in stringy strands, looking more like string than hair. Altogether, the girl reminded her of a piece of cloth that had been washed too many times and had lost its color.

The girl let out a scream suddenly and made a jump toward the pond. The nurse grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back, trying to calm her. The nurse was not a big woman, but the girl was so thin and weak that the nurse could easily overpower her.

"Oh, dear," Thu said as he watched. "I do not believe this will end well."

Azula heard him, but his words did not make sense. How could it not end well? The woman was so much stronger than the girl. There was no way the girl would hurt herself by falling into the pond.

"Let me go!" the girl cried, "Let me go! I promise I'll be good! I promise I'll stay out of the water!" Her voice was high and shrill, just like the screams had been that night before.

The nurse refused to loosen her grasp. The girl wailed in her arms, trying to break loose. Azula winced, remembering Zuko's last visit, how she had thrashed in his arms, trying to break free. It was all too much for her. It was all too familiar.

"Stop!" she said, stepping toward the girl and the nurse.

The nurse watched her with suspicious eyes, not letting go of the girl. The girl looked up and met her gaze, her eyes ghost-like and faded. There was something chilling about that gaze, and Azula felt a shiver run up her spine.

"She's not going to go into the pond," Azula said carefully to the nurse, "She's already promised you that."

The nurse shook her head.

"I'm not letting her go!" she said, "She's crazy! She'll jump toward the pond as soon as I let her go!"

"No, I won't!" the girl wailed, "Just let me go!"

"Please," Azula said, "Just listen to her. If she jumps into the pond, I'll go in after her."

The nurse looked at her for a long moment as if she were trying to decide whether or not she was trying to trick her. Then she sighed and looked at the crying girl in her arms. After a few moments, she loosened her grip, and the girl scampered away from her, toward the tree.

"See?" she said, laughing suddenly, "I didn't go in! I told you I wouldn't, and I didn't!" She started to giggle, covering her hand with her mouth as she did.

Azula watched the girl for a minute, before looking back at Thu. He was watching her with a concerned expression on his face, and the skin around his eyes wrinkled with worry. Looking away, Azula tried not to think about what he thought. Most likely he was wise, but that didn't mean he was right all of the time.

Suddenly, the girl stopped laughing and turned toward Azula. Pointing a finger at her, she narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"You are different," she said, "Different, different, different. They say I'm different. I don't like it." She shook her head emphatically. "I'm not different, really. I'm just…" Her voice faded off as she started to play with a loose thread on her gown.

The nurse looked at Azula curiously.

"She has not spoken like this to anyone else," she said quietly.

"There are so many flowers!" the girl said suddenly, spinning around and pointing at the tree. "My mother once said I was a flower. A bright, delicate flower. And she said she named me Hope because I was like the flowers in the spring. Hopeful."

She laughed gleefully, but suddenly her laughter turned into heavy sobs. She looked back up at Azula, her cheeks stained with tears.

"They killed them. They killed all the flowers," Hope whimpered. "They killed Mother and Father. My brothers, they killed them, too." Wrapping her arms around herself, she fell to her knees, crying loudly. Her sobs were loud enough to carry across the whole garden, and soon, others were gathering around the pond to see what was going on.

The nurse looked at the gathering crowd and lifted Hope into her arms. The girl thrashed and kicked, but her blows were not strong enough to hurt the nurse. She reached out toward Azula, her little hand extended like she was trying to grab onto her.

"That's enough for today, Hope," her nurse said, and while the girl was still screaming, she carried her back up into the hospital.

The crowd slowly dispersed, and Azula turned back to Thu, who still had a grim look on his face.

"That was brave of you," he said softly, "To reach out to that girl."

Azula shrugged as if it was nothing, but she felt a warm bubble of pride well up inside of her at his words.

"I… I couldn't help it," she said, "She reminded me of…well, me."

Thu sighed and shook his head, silently turning back toward the hospital building. Azula could tell there was something he wasn't saying. The warm pride she had felt a second before was replaced with a cold fear, one she couldn't explain.

"What is it?" she asked, "Do you think I shouldn't have reached out to her? Do you think I should have left her screaming?"

Thu stopped and sighed again, his face sad.

"No, Zara," he said quietly, "I am not saying that at all. Come, walk with me, and I will tell you what I think."

Azula followed him silently, trying to figure out why he looked so sad. Maybe the girl reminded him of one of his daughters, she thought. Maybe he was upset by the girl's screaming. Maybe… There were too many maybes. She would just have to wait until he started talking.

Thu walked halfway back to the hospital before he began to speak, when he did, he spoke so low that Azula almost missed what he was saying.

"That girl, Zara," he said, "Even though she may remind you of yourself, is not like you."

Azula frowned, but before she could say anything, Thu continued.

"You both may have been troubled in the mind, or at least that's what I'm assuming brought you to this place, but your end will be very different from hers," he said, not looking at her as he spoke. "I'm afraid, my dear Zara, that this girl may be beyond recovery."

Azula stopped when she heard his words. No, the girl had to recover. She had to. If she, the Princess of the Firenation, could fall from so high and begin to recover, surely this girl could, too. Why couldn't she?

Thu stopped and turned around to face her.

"I know you think my words are cruel," he said, "But this girl has nothing left to live for. She has lost her family, her home, and even her mind. She thinks her mother gave her the name Hope because she was a flower. She doesn't know what her own name means, Zara. She has lost it."

"Many others have lost hope, too," Azula said, "But they have found it again." How odd was it that she was speaking of hope? When had things changed?

"That may be so," Thu said, "But I do not believe that is the case for this girl." He sighed and glanced up at the sky. "We should go in," he said. "I believe it's going to rain."

Azula glanced at the sky. The only thing she saw was an endless plane of blue. There wasn't a cloud in sight.

…

Jet watched from behind a bush as the old man and Azula walked back up to the hospital. He waited until they were a good distance ahead before stepping out and following them. Hopefully, the old man would keep her distracted so she wouldn't notice him.

"Haven't you gotten in trouble enough for spying on her?"

Jet spun around and glared at Kobe, who had somehow managed to catch up to him.

"What does it matter to you?" he spat, turning back toward the two patients.

Kobe put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back.

"I thought you were supposed to be catching up on that sleep you were 'robbed of' like you told me," Kobe said.

Jet knocked his hand off of his shoulder. He had tried to sleep, but sleep had evaded him like it had the night before. The thought of Azula getting into trouble with Meri or someone else kept coming to the front of his mind. Sighing, he watched her walk inside with the older patient.

"I tried," he said, "But I couldn't sleep. Not when… Oh, what does it matter to you anyway?"

Kobe rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I don't know. You just had to douse me with a pitcher of freezing water so I could wake up and go after Azula, which I can see you've already done," he said, fixing Jet with an annoyed look. "Can you see any possible reason why it would matter to me?"

Jet scowled at him but didn't answer.

Kobe sighed and shook his head.

"All right, fine! Don't listen to me!" he exclaimed, "Just keep following Azula when she's perfectly fine, possibly making her extremely angry, and don't even wonder about the other problems we have at hand! Like figuring out what Kala and Dr. Lin are up to, what those two men wanted last night, what Meri's going to do when she finds a way to get them to see Azula. Oh, no, those aren't important at all! Just keep spying since that has really gotten you far before!"

"Quit it, Kobe!" Jet said, losing his patience, "Do you always have to be so… annoying?"

"Do you always have to be so pigheaded?" Kobe retorted. Then in a quieter voice he said, "Just let her go. She's fine. Besides, she's not going to talk to you now anyway. It's best to leave her alone until she decides you aren't her mortal enemy anymore."

Jet grimaced.

"Do you have to say it like that?" he said, sighing. "Fine, I'll go. But if Meri…"

"Meri's got too much to worry about right now to go chasing after her. That's exactly why we have to start thinking now, while Meri's distracted by those two men," Kobe said.

Jet raised his eyebrows.

"They're still here?" he asked.

Kobe nodded.

"Yes," he said, "Meri's keeping them as her own personal guests. She's waiting for a chance to get them in to see her."

"Then why are we waiting here? We should be watching Azula! If they…"

"Meri's not going to go anywhere near Azula while she's with Thu," Kobe said.

"Who?"

"Thu, the old man," Kobe explained, "He's an old fox and far from a fool. He claims he's an herbalist, but he'll pick your pockets clean if you get on his bad side." He grimaced. "I would know."

Jet frowned. He didn't think Meri would be intimidated by an old man, pickpocket or not. But he kept his opinion to himself and nodded to Kobe.

"Fine, let's go," he said.

Kobe nodded, and after taking one last look in the direction Thu and Azula had gone, he turned and headed back toward the building.

…

When they had settled in the kitchen, Kobe laid a stack of papers on the table in front of Jet. Jet flipped through them for a moment before looking up at him.

"What are these?" he asked, "And how in the world are they supposed to help us figure out what those men want or what Kala is doing?"

Kobe sighed and scowled at him, looking up from one of Kala's neatly-written recipes.

"I have to cook for an entire hospital," he snapped. "Do you think you could use that thick head of yours and figure it out on your own?"

He turned around and started walking around the kitchen, searching for ingredients for the meal that was due to be served in less than an hour. Jet sighed and straightened the stack of papers. Nobody was in a good mood. He looked at the first paper on the stack and immediately recognized it. It was the note Kala had written to him.

_Jet,_

_ For the next few days I will be attending to important matters that cannot wait. I trust you'll stay out of trouble. Meri is not in a good mood, and I don't want her close to any of my patients, especially Azula. I know you will be curious to know why I have left, but I'm afraid I cannot say anything about it now, especially not in a not like this. I promise I will tell you soon. In the meantime, take care of Azula. Though she has not spoken to any of us lately, it might be beneficial to talk to her. I'm afraid she might regress if she always sits by herself in her own world. Her silence worries me. Try to figure out what is on her mind, but don't push her. She'll turn on you if she feels threatened, and with Meri in charge, that is the last thing we need. Take care!_

_Kala_

He read over her words again, the last line sticking out like a sore thumb.

_She'll turn on you if she feels threatened, and with Meri in charge, that is the last thing we need._

He sighed and moved the letter to the back of the stack. It seemed he had ignored Kala's advice once again. Azula had definitely turned on him, and Meri was up to something. He looked down at the next paper in the stack and recognized it as the note Kala had written to Kobe.

_Kobe, _

_ I will be gone for the next few days. I'm putting you on kitchen duty…_

Jet stopped. A few days? Kala had been gone at least a week. He counted on his fingers, counting the day he had received the note. He kept losing track, but guessed it was something close to ten days.

"Kobe, how long was Kala supposed to be gone?" he called.

"What?" Kobe said from within the pantry.

"How long was Kala supposed to be gone?" he said again, this time louder. "A few days, right?"

"Yes, that's what she said," Kobe said.

"Well, it's been more than a week," Jet said, looking at the note again. "And I know she exaggerates sometimes, but she wouldn't leave you on kitchen duty if it was going to be more than three or four days."

Kobe reappeared in front of him, looking insulted.

"I take offense to that, you know," he said, putting his armload of ingredients on the counter.

Jet snorted.

"We've had soup for the last week, Kobe," he said.

Kobe threw his hands up in the air.

"That's the only thing I know how to make well!" he exclaimed, "What would you like? Mush rice and charcoal? I can boil water and throw stuff in. Everything else just comes out like mush. And it's not even good mush! The old people won't even eat it…"

"All right, Kobe!" Jet said, "Make your soup then. I'm sure we can all survive another night. Now, as I was saying, Kala's been gone for more than a week, and so has Dr. Lin. Kala might exaggerate, but Dr. Lin doesn't."

"Did he ever leave a note?" Kobe said.

Jet shook his head.

"No, but there was a sign on his door. It didn't say how long he would be gone, though," he said. "Nothing that said where he was going or why."

Kobe grinned.

"Did you check the pile?" he asked. Before Jet could look through it, Kobe grabbed the stack of papers and started rifling through it. "Patient report, patient report, letter from Firelord Zuko…"

"What?" Jet said, "Why don't you read that? That could be important."

Kobe shook his head and kept flipping through the papers.

"Oh, it's nothing special. It's all written in all that fancy formal talk anyway. In our common tongue, it roughly translates to 'Keep my sister alive or I will fry you up with rice on the side,'" he said. "Where is that…? Aha! There it is!" He held up a piece of paper. "This could help!"

Jet took the paper and squinted at it. The doctor's handwriting was normally horrible, but the handwriting in this paper was just about impossible to read. He guessed it had been written in a hurry. After a few minutes of staring at the paper, he began to decipher the writing.

_…and it is terribly important that I deal with this matter. The letter that Nurse Kala received today made it very clear that proceedings are about to begin. In the Firelord's absence, dealings have been carried out that would not have normally been approved by him. I beg you for your assistance. Please, if you have any information about where I can contact the Firelord, please reply. I will be in the Firenation capital for the next few days. After that, I will return to the hospital. _

_All assistance is greatly appreciated._

At the bottom of the page was the doctor's signature. Frowning, Jet looked up at Kobe and then back at the paper. Dr. Lin had definitely written the paper, but who was it for?

"What is this?" Jet asked, "It sounds like it's a second page of a letter."

Kobe nodded and took it from him.

"That's what I thought, too," he said, "When I was in Meri's office last night to give her the decoy letter, I saw the notes Kala had written us on the top of a stack of papers. She must have found them down here in the kitchen. I took them when she wasn't looking because I didn't want her to have anything against Kala, thought she probably has them memorized by now. Then I noticed some of the other papers underneath looked a little strange. Like that note. So I took the whole stack."

Jet looked up at Kobe, not believing what he was hearing.  
"You stole a stack of papers from Meri's office?" he said, keeping his voice low so no one besides Kobe would hear him. "Are you crazy? She's bound to notice they're gone!"

"Not if I accidentally knocked all of her papers over before I left the office," Kobe said with a grin, "She'll be sorting that mess out for a month."

Jet looked at him incredulously. Kobe had to be the smartest fool he had ever met.

"She's going to kill you," he said, "You do know that, right? She is going to hunt you down and murder you."

Kobe shrugged.

"Not until she has her office back together. She was so flustered she even forgot about sending that decoy letter," he said, "I figure we have enough time to figure out what they're up to before Meri figures out what's going on."

"And if we don't?" Jet said, "Kobe, she is a witch, but she's not dumb. She'll figure it out, and then what will we do?"

Kobe shrugged.

"I'm still working on that," he said.

Jet sighed and shook his head. They had gotten a lead, but at what cost? He hoped that Dr. Lin and Kala would be back soon. Then Kala could just tell them what was going on, and they wouldn't have to worry about Meri hunting them down in the dead of night.

"Do you have the first page of that letter?" Jet asked, turning his mind back to what he had just read.

Kobe shook his head.

"No," he said, "It wasn't in the stack. I think it must be in Meri's office still. Since she's in charge of all the papers, I bet Dr. Lin gave this to her to send the day he left with Kala. The old hag probably opened it to read it herself and then never sent it."

Jet nodded. Meri had been known to open up letters before. She claimed that she thought they were general incoming patient forms or something of the sort. Everyone knew she knew exactly what she was doing, but there was no strong evidence to prove it. She kept everything in her office, and she knew exactly where each paper was. If anyone went in to retrieve a letter they had written, Meri would know. That was why Kobe's "accident" would keep her from probing around for a while.

"The letter Nurse Kala received today made it very clear that proceedings are about to begin," Kobe read from the letter. "What letter did she receive?"

"What proceedings are about to begin?" Jet said, "And what dealings would the Firelord not approve of?"

Kobe shook his head.

"If this was written a week ago right before they left," he said, "and whatever letter Kala received prior to that saying proceedings were about to begin was written at least a few days before that, is it safe to say that whatever was about to begin has already begun? Maybe it's already over."

Jet shook his head.

"If it was over, Kala and Dr. Lin would have returned," he said. "There's something going on in the capital, and whatever it is the Firelord wouldn't approve of it."

"Well, if he wouldn't approve of it, why is it happening? Someone is going to pay for it, you know. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want an angry firebending leader of the Firenation hunting me down," Kobe said.

"The letter said he was absent. If he's not there to hear of the proceedings, he can't stop them from happening," Jet said, "Whoever is in charge of these… things that are happening must have some reason to risk his life for this, whatever it is."

"What's worth getting on the bad side of a Firelord? You know, they say Ozai was bad, and Firelord Zuko may be all for peace, but he's still Ozai's son. I'm sure he inherited a bad temper from him somewhere in the mix," Kobe said, turning back to the meal he was supposed to be cooking.

Jet sat silently. It seemed for every question they came close to answering, there was another to be asked. Looking at the letter again, he wished he had the first page. Dr. Lin was asking someone for help. Who would know of the Firelord's whereabouts? Many people, probably. Advisors, generals, wealthy lords. Which one of them would Dr. Lin ask for help?

"We do know one thing, though," Kobe said as he made yet another pot of soup.

"What's that?" Jet asked, not taking his eyes off the letter.

"This involves the hospital, the Firelord, Dr. Lin and Kala. Who's the one person who's connected to all of them?" he said.

Jet sighed and nodded.

"Azula, of course. It all goes back to her."

…

**Author's Notes:**

**This is a very important day. This is the first time I've managed to update in less than a month without the influence of the weather. I made a deadline. Wow, someone pinch me. **

**This chapter worried me as I was writing it, because it seemed to be easier than the others I've written. Not necessarily boring, but I didn't have so much trouble writing it as usual. I hope this is a good sign, not a bad sign. Just an FYI: the girl named Hope in this story is not the same as the baby Katara delivered in the series. I have a feeling there will be some confusion. There isn't really anything I have left to say about this part… except I miss Kala, like everyone else in this chapter. Azula's ready to kill Jet, Jet and Kobe are fighting, Kobe's passing out. It's a miracle the hospital's still standing without her around.**

**And now for the thank yous: As always, thank you, Kylie, for editing even though you worked late. And for listening to me ramble after I got my wisdom teeth removed (sorry for ranting about politics). To the readers, favorite-ers, watchers, and reviewers. To the fanfiction reviewers: VividDreamer624 (I promise I will get to your story like I said I would!), pinchfield (I'm glad this story is good enough to stick in your head), Greader (sorry about the hiatuses, hopefully this update was a bit speedier!), F75 (I totally agree. Azula was the best, and they shouldn't have left her story hanging like that!), and LifeTimesWorth (You, my friend, are freaking awesome!). To the deviantArt reviewers: ponysliveinengland (I've never had an ADHD buddy before. It's sort of cool), Jetzula4eva (see above, my opinion hasn't changed in two sentences. Btw, sorry the rift hasn't been solved yet!), and xlollx (Thank you for the always awesome support!). **

**That's all folks. Hope to see you next time! Reviews of every shape and size are always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Thirteen:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar: the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

Appa groaned and so did Zuko.

"Yip, yip!" the Firelord said through gritted teeth. The sky bison groaned again, turning to give Zuko what was in bison terms a seething glare, before laying his head on the ground. When his whole body shook from loud snoring, Zuko knew nothing would get the bison off the ground until he had taken a good, long nap.

"Well," he muttered, crossing his arms, "That's great."

A muffled laugh from the bison's saddle made its way to Zuko's ears. Zuko turned around, frowning as Katara tried unsuccessfully to look serious.

"He's tired, Zuko," she said, "And so are you." She slid down off the bison's back, landing neatly on her feet. "You should try to get some sleep. Maybe then you won't be so irritable."

Zuko's ears flushed red, and he turned away. Before he could say anything in response, Appa let out a long groan, as if to agree with Katara.

"I'm not irritable!" he snapped at the bison. "At least I'm not napping in the middle of the day!"

Appa groaned again, smacking his tail on the ground with a loud _thump. _Zuko opened his mouth to say more, but an icy spray of water cut him off. He coughed and wiped the water out of his eyes. Great, now Katara was involved.

"Stop fighting with the bison, Zuko!" she snapped, replacing to top of her water pouch. "Appa isn't going anywhere until he rests, and I'm not going anywhere with you until you sleep for a few hours!" She walked over to Appa's head right below where Zuko was sitting. "Come on down," she said in a kinder tone. "You haven't slept well since we started out on this trip."

"I don't need sleep," he grumbled, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes, "I need to…"

"Zuko, don't make me freeze you in a block of ice."

Zuko looked down at the waterbender, who was standing with her arms crossed and her eyes deadly. He knew what that look meant. It meant that Katara would "end him" if she found it necessary, and it would not do to cross her now. Groaning, he slid off the bison, landing on the ground rather ungracefully in a heap.

Appa let out another groan, this time a more pleasant sounding one, as if he were thanking Katara. Patting the bison on the side, Katara smiled and shook her head.

"It's okay, Appa," she said, "Zuko will be in a much better mood later, won't you, Zuko?"

Zuko grumbled as Katara helped him to his feet. For all he was concerned, he was in a perfectly tolerable mood now, and he did not need to be reminded to sleep! Spirits, she was just like Iroh!

"We should keep moving," he said, looking up at the sky. "There's not much daylight left."

"There's plenty of light left," Katara said, climbing back onto Appa to retrieve the bags. "Catch!" she called.

Zuko looked up in time to catch the food bag. It was much lighter than he would have liked. There had been enough food in that bag to last them a month and a half. Taking a look inside, he guessed there was enough food to last them a few more days.

"We'll stop to replenish the supplies," Katara said as she jumped down from Appa's back with the rest of the supplies. "It won't take long," she added as she took in his face. She took the bag from him and threw the strap over her shoulder.

"It shouldn't have taken this long," Zuko said, "We should have been back within a few weeks."

"Zuko, you're as determined and as hardheaded as…well… Sokka," she said, looking pleased at her analogy. "Patience is something you both have to learn."

Zuko scowled.

"I have plenty of patience!" he yelled, "I've been waiting patiently throughout this entire endeavor! But nothing has come of it! Nothing!"

Katara stopped and turned toward him.

"You don't seem very patient now," she remarked, setting the bags down. "We'll be off as soon as the sun rises tomorrow, okay? I can't move a several ton sky bison if he doesn't want to move! Not even Aang can do that!"

"Yeah?" Zuko said, "Well, I bet you could make him move if Sokka was the one we were trying to help!"

Katara's face darkened. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, daring him to say more. Zuko immediately regretted his words.

"You know, Zuko, you might be the Firelord, and I might still be a 'peasant' as you were so keen to remind me not too long ago, but that doesn't change the fact that I can knock you all the way from here to kingdom come should I need to," she said, her lip curling in anger.

"I never said you couldn't," he said tightly.

"I know you didn't. I was simply reminding you," she retorted.

They stared at each other for a long time before Katara bent down and picked up the supplies. She took a deep breath and let it out, shaking her head.

"I'm going to set up camp," she said. "Go calm down before you burn down the whole forest."

"Oh, so now I'm irritable _and _I'm going to burn down the forest!" he exclaimed. "You know, I…"

He never finished his sentence. At that moment, Appa lifted his head and roared at both of them. His roar was so loud that a flock of birds flew out of the nearby trees, a big dark cloud moving away as fast as they could. Appa turned and glared at Zuko as if to warn him what would happen if he continued to interrupt his sleep.

"Fine!" Zuko said, kicking a stone as he turned away, "I'll leave!"

"Zuko!" Katara called after him. Appa grumbled after him as well, as if to tell him to come back and apologize.

Zuko waved both of them off as he walked away. A waterbender and a grumpy bison were too much even for a Firelord like him.

…

Zuko stopped when he came to the riverbank. It was a slow, lazy river, one that reminded him immediately of the sleeping bison. The water gurgled slowly as it passed the rocky shore, seeming not to care at all where it was going.

Zuko sat down and sighed, watching the water glisten in the sunlight. He had been traveling longer than he had expected. He had expected to take a week, maybe two or three at the most, but now a month or maybe more had passed. Things were not going the way he had expected them to.

Perhaps he wouldn't have felt so upset had he not dragged Katara and Appa into the mess he was in. He had asked Aang to borrow Appa, not knowing that he would be gone for more than a few weeks. He had asked him to come along as well, knowing that Appa would most likely be more comfortable if his master was with him. But Aang, being the Avatar, had declined the offer, saying that he had too much to do. Katara, however, had willingly offered to come in his place, to Zuko's relief. Now as he thought of that morning's exchange, he realized how fortunate he had been that Katara had been so kind. He would have asked her to come in the first place had he not been afraid of angering Mai. Though Mai wanted nothing to do with Azula, Zuko still guessed she felt forgotten. He had promised he would be back as soon as he could, but when that would be was still up the air.

"There you are," Katara said, stepping out of the trees. "You ran off before I could dry your clothes."

Suddenly, the dampness in his clothes vanished as Katara bent the water out of his clothes. Zuko had been so lost in his thoughts after the argument that he had hardly noticed they had been wet. He forced a smile and turned to her. He realized it was her way of apologizing for their exchange. Like him, she was too proud to admit she had been wrong.

"Thank you," he said, reminding himself that he should at least try to be pleasant, even if everything seemed to be in a mess. "I'm sorry I was… impatient this morning."

Katara tossed the water into the river, watching it as it splashed.

"I'm sorry I had to soak you earlier," she said, "But you were being rather mean to Appa."

Zuko grimaced.

"Don't worry. I deserved it," he said, shaking his head. "I guess I've been so focused on this… this mission that I've forgotten about stopping regularly for Appa to rest."

Katara sat down next to him, watching the water like him.

"You're stubborn," she said, "And I knew this would happen. That's why I decided to come along. When you go after something this important, it can go to your head."

Zuko sighed and rubbed his face. He knew what she was talking about. The Sea Ravens had been her obsession, even if it had been only for a short time. Despite Aang's warnings about seeking revenge, they had gone after the man that had killed Katara's mother.

"I thought we would have found her by now," he said. "I thought since the war was over and all the nations were at peace…"

"Zuko," Katara said, "You've flown around the world for over a month now. It's not like you haven't been trying. Your mother is an important woman, but she still is only one person. It could take a long time to find her."

"We don't have a long time," Zuko said, irritated, "I said I would find her…"

"Zuko…"

"…and that I would bring her back to the Firenation…"

"Zuko…"

"Then she could help Azula! That's who she's been ranting about…"

"Zuko!"  
"What?" he exclaimed, looking up at Katara irritably. When Katara raised an eyebrow at him, he looked away and cleared his throat. "Right, sorry. I was being obsessive again, wasn't I?"

Katara chuckled and shook her head, bending a bit of the water out of the river.

"Yes, and you're being irritable again," she sighed, bending the water into various shapes. "I told you I'm not going anywhere until you rest for a while."

Zuko couldn't help but watch as she moved the water in the air. The afternoon light shone on it, making it glitter like glass. He felt calm, distracted by the water. Suddenly, he felt himself stifling a yawn.

"Stop it!" he said, realizing her trick. He rubbed his eyes, trying to rub the weariness out of them. "You did that on purpose!"

"I did," she said, spinning the water into a ring. "It works well on Sokka, and I figured it would work on you, even if you are Firelord." She split the ring into two separate spirals, sending them spinning in opposite directions. "Now, you can either fall asleep on the shore, or you can go back to camp and sleep there. Your choice, really."

Zuko yawned again and shook his head.

"Does it matter?" he asked, rubbing his face.

Katara dropped the water and frowned, pointing back toward the trees.

"Camp! Now! Go!" she said standing up. She tugged him to his feet and dragged him away from the shore. "Spirits, you're just like Sokka!"

"At least I know bison don't eat lemurs," Zuko mumbled, finding himself really smiling for the first time in weeks.

"GO!" she said, pushing him off into the trees.

Zuko nearly fell as he tripped over a root, but Katara caught him and pulled him up to his feet again. Shaking her head again, she led him to the camp, rolling her eyes while Zuko continued to make comparisons between him and her brother.

"You're both pieces of work," she muttered.

…

Kala twisted her fingers nervously as she watched Dr. Lin pace the hall. It was a grand place. Carpets and draperies of rich reds adorned the hall while torches kept it well-lit and comfortable. Kala had rarely ever seen any place so fine as the palace. On the rare occasion she had traveled to the palace in Ba Sing Se to treat sick nobles or their children, but then she had only been shown a few small rooms. This place was grander than any she had seen, and she could hardly bear to be there.

"This is ridiculous!" Dr. Lin told her. "We were told the matter would take a few days! Not weeks!" The vein in his head pulsed angrily as he paced a little faster.

Kala simply sighed.

"Yes," she murmured, "I know."

"And my hospital!" Dr. Lin continued, "It could be nothing more than a pile of rubble when I get back! With Azula being cared for by Nurse Kobe and that cleaning boy…"

"Jet," Kala reminded him, "Your cleaning boy's name is Jet."

"Yes, thank you," he said, "But as I was saying…"

Kala sighed and stopped listening. Dr. Lin was sick with terror that Jet and Kobe would destroy the hospital if he didn't return soon. She had to admit she wasn't comfortable with leaving them in charge of a patient for so long either, but she had at least allowed herself some peace of mind. The last thing any of them wanted was for Azula to regress back to her old habits. She had faith that Jet and Kobe would keep her from that.

While Dr. Lin continued to babble, Kala crossed her arms and closed her eyes. In the Firenation capital, everything was a hurry up and wait situation. It was expected that they would be on time for their appointments, but of course they were expected to wait until the person they wanted to speak with was free. For the last week and a half, the two had spoken to countless nobles, officials, council members, and advisors to solve this situation with Azula. It seemed they had spoken to basically everyone except the Firelord himself, who was mysteriously unavailable.

"Please, Nurse Kala," Dr. Lin said, "do not sleep! What if they come in and see you like that? Then our cause is certainly doomed!"

Kala sighed and opened her eyes. As a patient woman, she rarely got mad, but Dr. Lin was growing close to unbearable. Even Kobe, who could talk endlessly for hours on end, did not get on her nerves this much.

Sitting up, she placed a hand in her pocket to make sure the invaluable piece of paper was still there. Satisfied when her fingers touched it, she drew it out and unfolded it. Smoothing it on her lap, she realized that she had folded and refolded it so many times that some of the ink had faded where the folds were. By now she had it memorized, but she read over the words again, like she always did.

_To Nurse Kala or to whomever else it may concern,_

_I will first apologize for not revealing my identity at this time, but more important matters are at hand. I have been informed that you are responsible for the Fire Princess, Azula. Her health has nothing to do with me. In fact, if it was found I was writing this letter, it would be assumed that I was one of her supporters. I assure you, I am not. However, though I hold no love for Azula, I feel an obligation to protect her if I can from what has been planned._

_The Firelord has left on a mission to find his mother, the former Princess Ursa. He believes that Ursa is the only one who can restore Azula. I do not know if this is true, for from what I have heard, Azula hated her mother. Whatever the case, Firelord Zuko has been gone longer than expected, leaving his council open to rule the nation in his absence. I understand that you are from the Earth Kingdom and that you are perhaps unaware of the politics that have been raging around since the end of the war. Though peace is what this nation needed, the Firenation people are proud and do not take defeat well. That is what some are calling it, defeat. Much of the nation is in poverty and ruins. There have been many lives lost, and many homes have been destroyed. There are some people who believe that the nation's condition is the fault of nobles, officials, and even the Firelord. They want justice for what has been done to them, and peace is simply not going to satisfy them._

_I became aware of this plot by intercepting a letter meant for the Firelord. The letter was from a councilman detailing the plans to deal with the part of the population that searching for someone to blame. The plot is this: since Firelord Zuko has made it quite clear that his father, Firelord Ozai, will not be punished further, that leaves one person who fought against Firelord Zuko. Azula. In an attempt to push the blame away from Zuko and the council, the council has determined that Azula should be put in the spotlight once again. They have decided to proceed with a trial, one to try Azula for her "crimes against the Firenation", as they say. They see Azula as disposable. With her health steadily declining, the council thinks that Azula will be a small price to pay for the nation's happiness. _

_I urge you to come to the capital quickly if you want to help Azula. Proceedings are already in order, and with the Firelord gone, there is no one to halt them. We can only stall them. If there is someone to defend Azula, we might be able to delay her sentencing until the Firelord returns. _

_Leave immediately. Do not try to find me. I will find you. _

Kala refolded the letter and placed it back into her pocket. All was fair in love and war, but this trial was the furthest thing from fair. If they had left the hospital any later, they could have possibly been too late. The trial was open to the public. It ran on the assumption that Azula was a monster like her father and had no defense for her actions. Kala felt her stomach twist at the thought of it.

"They were supposed to meet with us by now!" Dr. Lin exclaimed, now stomping as he paced. "This whole thing is nonsense! Complete nonsense! If this was _my _hospital, no such thing would have ever happened!"

Kala sighed. She had learned early in the trip that the doctor did not have a head for politics. He understood the concept of a dictatorship, but that was about all. In all the meetings they had been in, Kala had found herself speaking for the doctor more often than not. Even then, she was a nurse, not a noble.

"This time will you let me speak?" the doctor said, "I've been getting quite tired of being interrupted!"

Kala shrugged. She would certainly make no promises.

"Nurse Kala, as your employer, I would highly recommend…"

"Oh, please," Kala said, "If it weren't for me, we wouldn't have gotten this far. Don't threaten me with my employment."

For the first time that day, Dr. Lin was silent. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Finally, he sighed and continued pacing. Soon enough he was babbling again, but Kala didn't pay it any mind.

…

The sun was high by the time Zuko woke. Stretching, he realized that he had slept longer than he had originally planned. Almost automatically, his mind went through the possible nearby places they could search that day. He stood up to start a fire when he heard Katara step out of the woods behind him.

"You're awake," she said, stepping around him to dump an armload of firewood on the ground. "You've slept for almost half of the day."

Zuko grimaced.

"I planned to be up sooner. We've lost time already and…"

"Zuko, I meant that as a good thing."

Zuko looked up at her. She was shaking her head, looking at him like he had lost his mind. He sighed and knelt down by the stack of wood.

"Perhaps you're right," he said, "Maybe I just have to be patient. Perhaps my mother traveled back to the Firenation while I was searching for her. Maybe she's settled down somewhere and hasn't come forward for fear something would happen to her. I mean, people hear 'Firenation Princess' and think immediately of Azula. Princess Ursa vanished almost too long ago for them to remember."

Katara nodded silently. Zuko looked up at her, waiting for her reply, but she said nothing. Shrugging, he turned back to the fire.

After Katara vanished into the woods again, Zuko started the fire, needing nothing more than a small flame. Soon enough, the fire grew to a warm blaze, crackling as it burned. As Zuko grabbed the sack with their provisions in it, the thought of its dwindling size came back to the front of his mind. Perhaps he could hunt in the forest for food. It would get them by for a few days at least.

Appa groaned when he woke, one large eye looking at Zuko. It was as if the bison was judging whether or not he could trust the firebender not to explode in rage again.

"It's alright, Appa," Zuko sighed, "I'm not going to make you fly until tomorrow."

Happy with this statement, Appa rolled over and returned to sleep.

It was a long time before Katara returned. The sun had set and the moon was high in the sky when Zuko finally heard her footsteps. He breathed a small sigh of relief. If she had been gone any longer, he would have gone searching for her.

He stood up when she entered the clearing, taking the load of wood from her arms.

"You were gone a long time," he said, "I was starting to worry."

Katara sighed and shook her head.

"I was at the river," she said in a quiet voice, "I lost track of time."

"Ah."

He added the wood to the fire, watching the flames as they rose higher. Every once in a while, he would steal a glance at Katara, trying to figure out what was on her mind. Usually, she was the one that kept the silence from growing too large between them. Tonight she was oddly silent.

They ate a light supper, and Zuko put on a pot of tea like his uncle always had when they were traveling. Before they had left, Iroh had made him promise him that he would drink a cup of tea at least every other night. He had said his temper would need it. As usual, Iroh had been right, so tea had become a nightly thing.

Katara quietly nodded as she accepted her cup of tea, making Zuko wonder if he had really done something wrong earlier. He had been rather rude, but he had thought they had smoothed that out. Her silence was making him uneasy though he was sure Katara would be the first to let him know if he had done something terribly wrong.

"Are you alright?" Zuko asked after a while. Forcing a smile, he added, "Is the tea really that bad? Uncle says I could do better brewing hot mud sometimes."

On any other night, Katara would have laughed, but she simply nodded and took a sip of tea.

Zuko cleared his throat nervously.

"Look, I wanted to say I'm sorry for being so impatient these last few days," he said, "It really wasn't fair of me."

Katara looked up at him suddenly and shook her head.

"I'm fine, Zuko, really," she said, "I'm well acquainted with your temper, and believe me, you have been worse."

Zuko snorted.

"Thanks, I guess," he said, "But really, is there something wrong? You're not yourself tonight."

Katara wrapped her arms around herself and sighed.

"Zuko, I know it's really important that we find your mother, but…" her voice trailed off.

"But what?" Zuko prompted.

Karara shook her head.

"I've just been having this feeling. I thought about what you said, about being gone longer than we planned, and I can't help thinking that perhaps we haven't planned enough for being gone this long," she said.

Zuko frowned. Of course they hadn't planned to be gone that long. If he had, he would have let Iroh look over things while he was away. Now that he thought about it, he had been away from his council for longer than he usually was. A few of the members he had picked himself, but a few were from Ozai's council, none of the ones that held strong ties to Ozai, of course. He needed them in order to provide a steady transition and to keep the peace among the nobles, but in reality he trusted them very little. He did not let them look over things for more than a few days if he could avoid it.

"You think that we should go back?" he said.

Katara shook her head.

"No, well, I don't know. I just keep thinking… You know how things got way out of control when the Avatar vanished for a hundred years?" she said.

Zuko laughed.

"Katara, I don't think a war is going to start in a month while I'm gone," he said.

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying things tend to get out of hand when no one's there to control them," Katara said.

"They would have sent me a message…" he started to say. Then he stopped and frowned. They had been moving around so much that it would have been hard for anyone to send a message to him. The sense in Katara's words was suddenly apparent.

"I know how important this is to you, so I won't tell you what to do," she said, "And after all, it is just a feeling."

Zuko nodded.

"I'll write to Uncle Iroh and Mai," he said. "Uncle won't mind visiting the Firenation for a few days until I get back. If there is something happening, he can put an end to it. And Mai won't hide the truth from me if there is."

Katara nodded.

"I suppose that is a good plan, but, Zuko, you are the Firelord. It's possible that we could search for a year and not find your mother. And your people need you," she said.

Zuko frowned. He saw the truth in her words, as much as he wished he didn't. Soon he would have to return whether or not they found his mother. It was possible that he wouldn't be able to help Azula. In the end, it was the nation that came first.

"I'll send the messages," he said, "And then I'll wait for a few days for a reply. After that I'll put a deadline that we'll have to return by."

Katara sighed and nodded.

"I hope we find her," she said.

Zuko nodded.

"So do I," he agreed, "So do I."

…

After their meeting, Dr. Lin stomped out of the palace, muttering all sorts of raging thoughts to himself. Kala followed silently as the doctor led the way to the ostrichhorse-drawn cart that would take them back to the inn they were staying at in the capital city. Every meeting they went to was about the same. Their plea would be considered before anything continued. Kala knew that could mean anything. They might consider it for a single second before the trial continued, or it could be a month.

"I can't believe these big-headed, cabbage-brained officials!" Dr. Lin exclaimed, stomping off past the cart driver. "They look at me like I'm a lunatic! Like I should be in a hospital!"

Kala sighed and smiled at the driver as she got in.

"I think he wants to walk," she said. "He needs to blow off some steam."

The ride alone was silent, as the driver did not say much when they were on the road. Kala watched the passing buildings as they wound deeper and deeper into the city. Night had fallen, and the moon shone brightly overhead, giving everything a silvery glow. It was like being back home in Ba Sing Se. All the buildings were crowded together with small alleys running between them. There were only a few people out on the streets. Most of the city's inhabitants were home for the evening. All the markets were closed, and the only cart on the street was the one she was riding in. Firenation people were ones that lived for the day, not for the night.

She tipped the driver when he dropped her off, and then she walked inside the dimly-lit inn that had been her home for the last week and a half. The main room smelt of smoke from the fire burning in the fireplace, and it was too warm for Kala's liking. When she walked into her room, she immediately opened all of the windows, letting the cool evening air flow into the room.

Dr. Lin would not be back until late. They had passed him on the road not long after leaving the palace. A twinge of guilt ran through her, knowing the doctor was prone to getting lost when he wasn't thinking straight. But remembering how bothersome he was, she quickly pushed the feeling away and settled into a chair in the corner of the room.

She picked up the stack of letters sitting on the table in front of her. They were the letters from her family she had received the day the mysterious letter had come. She had yet to write them back. She would have to soon, even though she knew they would understand that she was busy. It was only in her letters that she could tell them that she loved them, so she took every opportunity she had to write.

Like she did every night, Kala read over the letters. By then she knew every word by heart, but it still did her good to reread them. When she came to the end of the last letter, Mo's letter, she placed it to the back of the stack. But instead of seeing Willow's letter, which should have been on top, there was another letter. One written in the same writing as the one warning her of the trial.

_Thank you for listening. Your actions have bought us time. There is more yet to be done, but we cannot act further until the time is right. It is time we meet and discuss what to do next. Meet me behind the inn later tonight. _

…

Later that night, when Dr. Lin had returned and the rest of the city was still, Kala slipped out behind the inn into an alley. A sense of unease crept into her as she remembered the gangs that sometimes ran around Ba Sing Se. She had no doubt that the Firenation capital had gangs similar to these.

She had considered bringing Dr. Lin with her, but the doctor had been in such a foul mood when he had finally returned that he had slammed the door to his room without speaking a word to her. He had indeed gotten lost, and it was only his vague childhood memory of the city that had kept him from being out all night. Kala saw no reason to bring the doctor into a meeting with this stranger. The writer of the letter obviously wanted his or her identity to be kept from anyone else. With Dr. Lin being prone to ranting lately, Kala didn't trust him to keep any secrets.

The air grew colder as the night wore on. Kala wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep out the chill that seemed to keep running through her. She began to wonder if the mysterious writer would ever appear. She was sure she would have heard him or her coming. There were no sounds to be heard, just the hiss of the wind as it flowed through the alley.

Finally, after waiting what seemed several hours, Kala sighed and turned back toward the inn. She was sure that if anyone was coming, they would have been there already. And in any case, she had more things to worry about.

"Wait," a voice said softly, "Don't go just yet."

Kala paused and turned around, eyes scanning the dark alley. Her eyes saw nothing, but she was certain someone was there.

"I can't see you," she said, "Come into the light."

Suddenly, a figure stepped out into the open, melting, it seemed, right from the shadows. Hooded and cloaked in black, the person that stood before her seemed to be a living shadow.

"I hope you will forgive me," the figure said in a low voice belonging to a young woman. "It was not safe for me to come any sooner."

Kala nodded.

"Gladly," she said, "Thank you for warning me about this trial. We cannot thank you enough."

The hooded woman shifted uneasily.

"I'd prefer you didn't," she said, "Azula is not the girl she was when I met her. She has grown into something I cannot accept, but I feel it would be wrong if I did not do this."

Kala nodded. She knew very well what Azula had become. She watched the woman silently for several moments, waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, she cleared her throat.

"You said in your letter that the Firelord is searching for his mother to help Azula," she said. "Do you really think she will be able to help?"

The woman shrugged.

"Honestly, I do not. Like Ozai favored Azula, Ursa favored Zuko. Azula never understood why, and she finally came to believe that Ursa hated her. Because of that, I think she hated her mother. If she didn't, she certainly put on a good act."

Kala nodded.

"What about her father?" she asked, "Did she love him?"

"Love is not the word I would use. She looked up to her father, and she did what she could to please him, but she was always looking out for herself, not him. If Ozai's death meant that she would become Firelord, she couldn't be troubled by it," she said.

"And I take it he didn't love her. He was only proud that he could use her to his advantage, am I right?" Kala asked.

The woman shrugged.

"It always seemed so. Why are you asking these questions?" she asked.

"I'm a nurse. Sometimes you have to search for what caused the sickness to heal it," Kala said.

The woman nodded and sighed.

"There is no knowing where Azula started to become what her father was. Only she knows. I do not believe Ursa could help her because Ursa does not know where Azula went wrong," she said, "If she ever recovers, it will be on her own terms, not anyone else's."

Kala knew there was truth in her words. Azula would not accept anything until she was ready to. Thinking about her patient made her anxious, and she could only hope that Azula was doing alright.

"You asked me to meet you here. What did you want to discuss?" she asked.

The woman gestured to two barrels next to the wall. Kala nodded and sat on one of them. The woman took the other.

"The trial is set up so Azula will be found guilty," she said, "The only hope for her is Zuko's return, and I do not know when that will be. Until that time, we will need people to testify, to defend Azula. The trial is open to the public. If we can make them believe they are blaming the wrong person, it will be harder to convict Azula."

"But she is guilty of so many things," Kala said, "She knows she is. She says that she is the most hated person in the world besides her father sometimes. And she is right. How can we change these people's minds?"

"You just said the answer," the woman said, "Ozai is the most hated man in the world. If we can shift the blame over to him, we can buy time."

Kala frowned.

"In your letter, you said Ozai could not be punished anymore. Isn't the purpose of this trial to punish someone for what has happened? To make Azula the scapegoat? How will Ozai help this?" she asked.

The woman sighed.

"That's where we have a problem. Yes, you are right. The only hope we have is the hate people have for Ozai is greater than the hate they have for Azula," she said. "Ozai cannot be punished more, which makes him perfect for this if it works. Let's hope they will settle for hate and not punishment."

"How are we going to shift the blame?" Kala asked, "Who will stand up for her?"

"A few people. I know servants that know how Ozai trained his children. I know of a few friends of Azula's that knew her when she was young. Iroh has no love for his brother. Perhaps he will stand up for her for Zuko's sake." She paused and sighed. "If it comes to it, I will take the stand."

Kala raised an eyebrow.

"You know her well enough to do that?" she asked.

The woman nodded.

"Yes, I do," she said. With a thin hand, she drew back the hood of her cloak.

Kala found herself looking at a tall, slim young woman not much older than seventeen with raven-black hair, porcelain skin, and emotionless grey eyes.

"I am Mai," the woman said, "I am the woman Azula tried to kill."

…

**Author's Notes: Dun dun dun. Remember how I said I wanted Mai to have a part of this story? Well, here you go. This part was a lot shorter than my last few updates just because I'm limited on time. I know this doesn't have Azula in it (even though it is her story) or Jet or Kobe, but it has Kala! I missed her too much. I've had people ask where the heck Zuko went to, so I thought I'd let him have a small appearance. Why is Katara there? Well, since Katara and Zuko are sort of "Mother Vengeance" partners, I thought it would make sense. **

**I really appreciate all the reviews. I don't always agree with them, but I appreciate them. I didn't get to reply to them like I usually do this time, but please know I haven't forgotten. As usual, Lifetimesworth/Jetzula4eva and xlollx get a huge thank you, along with Domination of the World, pinchfield, xx .side xx (sorry I made you cry), VividDreamer624, ponysliveinengland, and everyone else that read/reviewed/faved/did anything that related to this story. **

**And Kylie, who is waiting for me to send this to her. (Kylie, I'm sorry, I just wanted to do my notes while it was fresh in my head). And thank you Kylie for staying up way past your bedtime to edit this chapter. And for pointing out all my stupid mistakes. (And for encouraging my irrational need to dye my hair blue…) That's all for now! **

**Oh, wait. I was told by one person that my story and I were sexist. If you look up the word feminist, you will see my picture right next to Azula's. If it came across as sexist, sorry, it was not meant to. But after a mental breakdown, I'm pretty sure anyone would need a hand or two. There is a difference between being weak and needing help. Azula will be kicking butt soon enough, but these things take time. But thank you for your opinion, even though I have to disagree with you. (Kylie is secretly laughing at me while I write this because she knows how I react to being called sexist).**

**For real now, that's all! Reviews are really appreciated! Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Fourteen:

_**I do not own anything from Avatar: the Last Airbender. I do, however, own my mind and the desire to put words to the story in my head.**_

The girl sat at the base of the tree, watching the water with an interest that seemed almost too curious. Her white, sickly skin looked even paler in the tree's shade, and her delicate form looked almost frail enough to break any moment.

From up in the tree, Jet watched as once again someone came to stare at the pond, her thoughts her own. This time he hadn't climbed the tree to watch anybody. He had simply wanted to find a place to think. Now, as he watched the girl, he sighed and thought of the irony.

_Great, _he thought. _Every time I climb up into a tree, someone has to sit under it. If she's anything like Azula…_

But this girl wasn't Azula. No, he could see quite a few differences. The girl seemed more like a ghost than an actual human. Azula at least had some fight left in her. Azula was broken, but this girl was almost gone. He could tell by the way she walked, the way her eye would become empty when she looked at something. He had been in the hospital too long to not know the signs. The girl would die. Perhaps a few months earlier he would have managed a thread of hope for her. But now, there was not a doubt in his heart that it would happen.

He rubbed his eyes and sighed. The last few nights had been nearly sleepless ones. Between the girl's screams and the nightmares he had been having, he woke up every few hours. Every time he woke, he worried that the men had found a way to see Azula. Though Azula had gone out of her way to avoid him for the last few days, he still tried to watch her from a distance. Each time she left his line of sight, he felt uneasy. Nights were the hardest. He could do nothing at night. If anyone caught him, he would be in for it. Kobe had assured him that he was keeping watch, but Jet still worried.

He sighed quietly and turned his mind to other matters. Perhaps if he could figure out why the men were there or why Dr. Lin and Kala had left he could rest more easily. He considered endless amounts of possibilities, but in the end he was no further than where he had started. The only way to be sure of what was going on was to wait until they returned, and who knew when that would be?

He leaned back into the tree and closed his eyes. Perhaps patience was a virtue he should look into acquiring.

_What would Kala say? _he wondered. _Just stay out of trouble and figure it out later, probably. _

The wind blew through the trees, and suddenly he became aware of a soft voice. Listening closer, he realized it was someone singing.

"_Little flower, little dove. Listen as I sing, my love_."

Jet froze, recognizing the words. He hadn't heard them in such a long time he had nearly forgotten them. He looked down at the girl, who was now singing. Twisting so he could see her better, he listened to her song. Her voice was sad and sweet, not at all like the shrill screams she had produced for the last few nights.

"_War will break, war will kill. War will take all it will._

_ When the sun comes again, we may not be here then._

_ Night will fall, night will stay. We may not see the day._

_ Wind is cold, wind will blow. They take away all we know._

_ This night may be our last. Death I know comes too fast._

_ So listen, listen well. Listen to these words I tell._

_ Should we part, little dove. Remember my words of love._

_ Should I sleep, but you wake, keep on till morning break._

_ I will go, but you stay. But live, my dove, for today._

_ War will pass, war will go. It will leave like winter snow._

_ So leave me, leave me here. Find a life good and dear._

_ Soon enough, we all sleep. Until then, my love please keep. _

_ Little flower, little dove. Listen as I sing, my love."_

Jet felt the skin on the back of his neck prickle, and he let out a breath he had not known he had been holding. Swallowing, he quietly climbed out of the tree, making sure the girl did not see him as he did. Once out of the tree, he ran. He ran far beyond the pond, far beyond the garden. He ran until he came to the wall he had helped Azula climb that first day in the garden. Breathing hard, he slumped against the wall. Against his will, hot tears fell from his eyes.

"No!" he growled through gritted teeth, wiping the tears away angrily with his sleeve. "It's all over! I'm not bothered by it anymore!"

But still the tears came. Furious with himself, he slid down the wall into a heap. The song was not just another lullaby. It wasn't just some song that the war had created over time. It was the lullaby his mother had always sang to him. It was the song she had sang to him the night before his village had been raided by the Firenation.

There was only so much he could make himself forget. He could try to forget that night, the screams, the flames, but it would do him no good. He could try to forget his anger he felt for his parents' deaths, but it was impossible. There was no way to forgive a crime like that.

"Are you all right?" a small voice asked.

Jet looked up. Standing in front of him was the girl, the girl who had been sitting under the tree. He immediately wiped his face and nodded. It would not do to lose himself in front of a girl like her.

"I'm fine," he said, a little harsher than he had wished. "Why don't you go back to the garden?"

"All flowers fade," the girl said, her face growing dark. "Soon enough they will leave me."

"You can still enjoy them today," Jet said, "And remember them when winter comes."

The girl, Hope, looked at him with sad, grey eyes. He could feel the loss and torture that she felt from just looking into her eyes.

"I won't be here when winter comes," she said. "I'm going away like all the other flowers have."

Jet couldn't speak. What Hope was saying was she knew that she was going to die. It was horrible to hear something like that come from a child her age.

"You don't have to leave," he said. "You can stay here. You know the girl who talked to you yesterday? She used to want to leave, too. But now she's decided to stay a little longer."

Hope chuckled, pressing her fingers to her cheeks.

"She's different," she said, "She's not a flower like me. Flowers have to leave. She's a bird. She flies to get away from the cold."

She chuckled again and spun around in a circle, watching her gown as it flared out. For a moment, she seemed like a normal child. Jet wished he could help her, but he knew in his heart that he couldn't.

"It will be very sad when you go," he said. "People will be very upset."

Hope stopped and sighed.

"Yes," she nodded. "It is sad. No one likes it when winter takes away flowers. But if I stay, I will be the only flower here. I would not like being alone." She looked at him and tilted her head to the side, curiously. "That's why you were crying. All the flowers left you, didn't they?"

Jet hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, I suppose you could say that," he said quietly.

"Did my song make you sad? I didn't mean to."

Jet sighed.

"It doesn't matter. It's just an old memory," he said.

Hope nodded.

"Yes, memories hurt. That's why it's no good to remember flowers in winter. It makes you sad that they're gone," she said. "What's your name?"

"Why do you want to know?" he asked.

Hope sighed and spun around again.

"When I go to go with all the other flowers, I'll tell your flowers that you miss them. But I'll tell them that you're a bird so you can't come right now," she said.

"I'm a bird?" he said.

The girl nodded.

"You fly away to stay warm. It takes you a long way from home, but you always return when it's time. Flowers cannot return."

Jet looked at her for a moment and sighed. It was such a sad thing, talking to this girl. She almost made Azula look happy. In a strange way, though, she seemed almost happy. It was as if she had found her way through being lost. It was as if she was at peace with herself.

"My name is Jet," he said finally.

Hope smiled slightly and nodded.

"I'll find them, Jet," she said. "I'll tell them about you."

Then she scampered off, leaving him alone by the wall. A slight wind blew through the trees, and suddenly, Jet felt alone. Sighing, he stood and started to walk back toward the hospital, back toward his world of troubles.

…

"Now, when making tea," Thu chattered, "It is important to know which plants are poisonous and which plants are not. It's a very important thing to know! You have no idea how many people get sick and die from making tea out of the wrong plant!"

"That's very interesting," Azula said halfheartedly as she stared out the window of the common room.

Thu looked up from his book of plants, his thin-rimmed glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose.

"I have a feeling you are actually not very interested at all," he said, closing the book. With a little thump, he let it fall to the table. Settling back into his chair, he took off his glasses with a sigh and folded his hands across his chest. He watched her patiently, not saying a word as his eyes scanned her face.

Azula rolled her eyes and turned to face him. She knew what it meant when Thu looked at her that way. They would have to have a talk. A nice, long talk. To be fair, the talks usually made her feel better, and they usually ended with a walk in the garden. But lately, Thu had avoided the garden. Azula had an inkling as to why, but she didn't dare say a word about it.

"What?" she snapped, "I'm just looking out the window. You're not letting me go out there. Can't I at least look?"

Thu shook his head.

"Zara, I am not keeping you from the garden," he said calmly, "You are more than welcome to go out into the garden any time you wish. I am not in charge of you in anyway."

Azula sniffed and turned back toward the window.

"Will you come, too?" she asked glumly, knowing exactly what the answer would be.

Thu sighed and rubbed his hands.

"No, my joints have been aching lately. I'd rather stay inside instead of walking around outside. It's the dreary part of getting old, I'm afraid," he said.

"You still haven't told me why we're having this talk," Azula said, folding her arms across her chest, "You're treating me like a child, and I don't appreciate it."

She watched Thu as he poured a cup of tea for himself. He held the pot up to her gesturing for her to lift her cup. She knew he was doing it to teach her patience, like he had been for the past few days.

"No, thank you," she said tightly, "I don't care for tea."

"Come, come now!" Thu exclaimed, "You've been drinking my tea all week and not said a single word against it! We're having this talk because something's bothering you, and I'm the only one you will talk to around here."

Azula frowned.

"I talk to plenty of people!" she said. "You're not the only person that gets to hear my voice, you know!"

"Of course. I should have known. Why don't you remind me of their names?"

Azula opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. She was still not talking willingly to Jet. Kobe had been rather busy lately. Kala was gone. And the two men that wanted to talk to her she had been avoiding religiously. She sighed in defeat.

"Fine! I don't have anyone to talk to! Happy?" she fumed.

Thu sighed and lifted his eyes to the heavens.

"Spirits help me. I had forgotten how moody teenage girls become when something is bothering them," he murmured. "And yes, you are in quite the foul mood, my dear Zara, so don't even try to deny it."

Azula rolled her eyes.

"If you say so," she sighed in frustration.

"I say so," Thu said with a nod. "Now tell me, Zara, what's troubling you? You've gotten yourself into such an unhappy state. It makes my heart sore to see you this way."  
Azula looked away. When wasn't there something troubling her? Where could she even begin to describe her troubles? She couldn't. Not to Thu in any case.

"I'm just unhappy, okay?" she said. "Everyone has their off days, and I have mine. Why is it such a big deal?"

Thu shook his head.

"You must not be used to people worrying about you. All right, all right. We'll say you're fine. Now will you drink some tea?"  
Azula looked at the empty cup in front of her. The proud side of her was telling her to reject the tea. The other side of her, the side that knew Thu was right, told her she was being ridiculous.

"I suppose," she said quietly.

Thu's face lit up.

"That's the Zara I know. Now, as I was saying, it's very important to know what kinds of leaves are safe to eat. I once had a customer that came to me asking for something to cure his stomach ache. When I asked him what had caused it, he said he had made a salad out of some leaves and they hadn't sat well with him. After a little investigating, I discovered that he had eaten a very poisonous leaf. Luckily, he was so ignorant that he had used the antidote in the dressing. One of the side effects of that antidote was a stomach ache," he said.

"So what did you give him?" she asked.

"Nothing," Thu said, "I told him that if he was going to be foolish enough to just eat whatever without knowing what it was, I wasn't going to give him anything. He wouldn't remember what I had given him and he'd probably go out and pick a leaf that looked like it and use it to try and cure anything. Besides, the stomach ache taught him his lesson."

"Did he ever do anything like that again?" Azula asked.

Thu sighed and took a drink of tea.

"Naturally, but luckily all that happened that time was some very foul-tasting tea. Never have I had such awful tea," Thu said, shuddering at the thought.

Azula had to smile.

"I've heard stories of my uncle making mistakes with his tea making," she said, "But he apparently survived."

"Well, that's good news," Thu said. "A tea lover dying from his own tea is always a very sad story."

A comfortable silence drifted between them. Azula drank her tea, looking out the window at the garden. It was a beautiful day, but somehow being a patient ruined it. Far back behind the trees there was still a wall keeping her prisoner. She remembered the day Jet had lifted her up so she could see the sunrise. She could have jumped and escaped then, but she hadn't. Now, she was still a prisoner, even if she was better.

"What is it?" Thu asked. "Is the tea all right?"  
Azula nodded.

"Oh, yes, it's perfect," she said quickly.

"Then what's wrong, my dear?" he asked. "I know that look, and it means you're sad about something."

Azula sighed.

"It's nothing. It's just that… I've been here for several months now. I can't even remember how I got here or when I came here. I remember…" she stopped herself. She couldn't tell Thu everything or he would figure out who she was.

"Remember what?" Thu prompted.

She shook her head.

"It isn't pleasant," she said, "You probably don't want to hear about it."  
Thu shook his head and reached across the table. He took one of her hands in his own and gave it a squeeze. Azula looked up at him. He gave her a small smile of encouragement.

"It really isn't all about me, is it, Zara?" he said, "It isn't about what I want to hear. It's about what you need to say."

Azula sighed. Thu was right, as usual, but she didn't want to give herself away. She couldn't tell him, not today.

"Not now," she said. "It still hurts to think about." She looked up at the old man, hoping her excuse would move the conversation along.

Thu nodded and leaned back into his chair. Taking another drink of tea, he nodded his understanding.

"That's okay. You can tell me when you're ready. Now, you were saying?" he said.

"Well, I've been here for a while now and…" She paused and sighed. "Do you think I'll ever leave this place?"

Thu laughed.

"Of course!" he said, his smile warm and encouraging. "Why wouldn't you? You're young, and you've still got your health. Why, as soon as your doctor decides you're well enough to live without assistance, they'll let you leave."

Azula frowned.

"It's that simple?" she asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Of course," Thu said, "This isn't a prison, my dear. It's a hospital. When patients recover, they release them. Well, at least for normal patients. I doubt you'll stay here much longer. A month or two at the most, and that's stretching it."

Azula put on a smile and tried to look reassured, but the word "normal" hadn't escaped her notice. She was hardly a normal patient. Would they release her that easily? What would happen to her then? She couldn't return to her old life. Things were different now. Going home was nearly impossible, and perhaps even dangerous.

"You're being extremely ponderous today, Zara," Thu said. "It always makes me wonder when you get like this."

Azula remained quiet. His comments were harmless, and there really wasn't an answer to them. She couldn't tell him everything she was thinking. No, that was a recipe for disaster.

"I think I need some time alone," she said finally, looking up at him. "I'll find you later if you're still around."

She stood and started to leave when Thu sighed. It was one of those sighs that meant that he wanted to say something important. Azula let out a sigh of her own. She had spent weeks not talking to anyone, and the first person she had gotten to know well was an old man that always had more to say. She made a note to herself not to know people so well that she could interpret their sighs.

"Yes?" she asked, turning back around.

Thu looked down at his tea quietly. Impatience boiled up inside of her. If he was going to hold her back, he might as well be able to tell her why!

"You have something to say to me, and I really don't want to spend the majority of the day waiting for you to say it!" she snapped. "Despite the fact that I live here in this hospital, I like to pretend I have a life with things to do!"

Thu looked up and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Zara," he said, "But I've been worried that perhaps something has gone to your head. I'm afraid that perhaps you'll let it consume you, even though you would never think that it would."

Azula frowned.

"What are you talking about?" she said, "I was going to my room! Would you mind not leaving me riddles to solve every time I turn around?"

Thu didn't even blink.

"It's the little girl, isn't it?" he said softly, his eyes calm and knowing. "I know she's been in your thoughts for the last few days. I'm starting to worry that it will have a negative impact on you."

Azula froze. She had not been thinking about Hope. She had been thinking about how she would get out of the hospital. But now that he had pointed it out, she couldn't help but think about her. She was worried about her. The way she screamed at night made her hair stand on end. It made her even more determined to help her.

"What?" she said, acting like she didn't know what he was talking about.

"The little girl from the pond. The one you reached out to the other day. I know you are angry with me for telling you she cannot be helped, but it's the truth, Zara. I've seen several people like her. She's certain she is going to die. And she will," he said.

Azula clenched her fists, trying to contain herself.

"How can you say that?" she exclaimed. "How can you condemn her when you don't even know her?"

"I have been here longer than I would like to admit, Zara," Thu said evenly. "I know what happens to girls like her."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Azula exclaimed. "That girl just needs a little help like I did! I used to want to die, too, but I'm standing here now!"

She narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to say more. Thu watched her as calmly as ever, his hands folded on the table. He reminded her of an adult talking to a child. It made her face flush in anger, feeling belittled.

"You never truly wanted to die," Thu said, taking a drink of tea, "There was always a spark in you that kept you going."

"And there's probably a spark in her!" she retorted. "If I of all people can get better, then she should be able to as well!"

"Please, Zara…"  
"No!" she shouted. "You are just like everyone else! I should have known. Do you have any idea how it feels to hear that girl scream at night? What it does to me? I have to help her!"

"Please, Zara, calm down," Thu asked calmly.

"No! You're telling me to let her die! I can't let her die! Don't you understand that?"

She shoved her chair in and walked away from the table. She wasn't going to listen to his crazy advice anymore. She was going to start making her own choices.

"Zara!" he called, but she was already running away down the hall.

…

Back in her room, Azula slammed the door behind her, holding back a scream. Why did everyone always turn on her? Did she really make it that easy? Gritting her teeth, she let out a frustrated growl. Why did it always have to happen to her?

She slumped down against the door, resting her head in her hands. Perhaps she had been too harsh. Maybe Thu only wanted the best. But how could he think she could just give up on Hope? How could he think she could simply abandon her?

A pit of loneliness seemed to well up inside of her. She really had no one. There was not one person she could turn to for guidance, for help. There was nobody that understood her.

_What must Hope feel like? _she wondered. How lonely was she? Her family was gone. She had no friends. They were in a similar boat.

Closing her eyes, Azula rested her head against her door. In her mind there was only one thing she could do: help the girl. But Thu's words pestered her. Perhaps he did know what he was talking about. Maybe she was beyond her help. Scowling, she pushed those thoughts away. There was only one choice, and she would do what she had to.

…

"Seriously, Kobe. I will cook for a night if that means we don't have to have soup!"

"Shut it, Jet!" Kobe said, taking the soup off of the heat. "When I want your opinion, I will ask for it!"

Jet sighed, feeling like he hadn't eaten real food in ages. He bit back a response and started dishing out food for patients. His stomach groaned at the sight of soup. He noticed Kobe had at least baked bread to go with it, but it still wasn't enough to make up for yet another night of soup.

"I hope Kala comes back soon," he said. "I can't take much more of this."

Kobe muttered something under his breath that Jet couldn't understand.

"What was that?"  
"I said I'll be glad when she comes back so I won't have to listen to you complain!" Kobe snapped.

Jet rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Have you found out anything else about those two men?" he asked, changing the subject.

Kobe shrugged.

"They're determined to see Azula," he said, "They've made requests every day. Sooner or later, Meri's going to accuse me of just making excuses."

"Well, you are, aren't you?" Jet said.

"Yes, but that's not the point, Jet!" Kobe said, "In any case, it's a miracle you made Azula punch that mirror. If she hadn't cut her hair, they would have found her a long time ago."

Jet frowned.

"What do you mean?" he said, looking over at Kobe.

"I mean they don't recognize the Firenation Princess with short hair and dressed in green," Kobe said, wiping down the counter with a rag. "I've seen them pass right by her without noticing. But I don't know how long that will last."

Jet ladled out the last few bowls of soup in silence. That would be the only good thing that had come from their argument.

"How about you?" Kobe asked. "Any luck with Azula?"

Jet snorted.

"Yeah, tons of luck. She turns away whenever she sees me. I suppose that's an improvement from glaring at me," he said sarcastically.

Kobe sighed and tossed the rag to the side. He stifled a yawn and rubbed his eyes. Jet felt a stab of guilt. He forgot that Kobe stayed up every night to watch out for Meri and the two men. He only got a few hours of sleep each night.

"Why don't I stay out tonight?" Jet said, emptying out the rest of the soup. "You've done it for three days."

"You?" Kobe said, taking the empty pot, "No. That's a recipe for disaster. What if Meri catches you?"

"She won't!" Jet insisted. "Look, I'm better at not being seen than you!"

"And what if they do try to get in and see Azula?" Kobe said, setting the pot down hard. "How will you stop them? You can't be seen, Jet! Meri will destroy you the moment she gets a chance!"

Jet didn't have a response for that. He sighed and started placing the bowls on trays.

"I just thought I'd help out a bit," he said, "Since I'm not gaining any ground with anything else!"

One of the bowls of soup spun out of his grasp. Jet lunged to catch it as it teetered toward the edge. The soup sloshed over the edge, and it was halfway off the counter as he put his hand out to catch it. Then, almost in slow motion, the soup slipped back into the bowl, and the bowl came to rest right of the edge of the counter. Jet stared at the bowl. What had just happened?

"Kobe, did you see that?" he asked.

"See what?"

"The bowl! It was about to spill but…"

"You didn't spill my soup, did you?" Kobe exclaimed.

"No, it didn't spill. It moved back into the bowl," Jet said. "Did you see it?"

Kobe turned around and frowned.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. The soup moved on its own? Maybe you're the one that needs more sleep," he said.

Jet shook his head. He was almost certain about what he had just seen. It was almost like… But that was impossible. He sighed and put the questionable bowl on a tray.

"I have to get out of this kitchen," he said. "It's going to drive me insane."

"Oh, good. Azula might talk to you then," Kobe said cheerfully.

Jet scowled at him and grabbed a tray.

"Not helping!" he said, walking out of the kitchen. "She's probably going to kill me for bringing her soup again!"

Kobe said something in reply, but Jet didn't hear him. He was already headed toward Azula's room. As he did, he felt uneasy. As long as Azula was mad at him, she would not be happy to see him, for whatever reason. The walk there gave him plenty of time to come up with possible exchanges, none of which eased his mind.

When he arrived, he knocked as usual. There was no answer.

"Great," he muttered. Sighing, he readied himself for the unpleasant exchange. "Azula?" he called, "I have your dinner."

Jet expected an angry response of some sort, but none came. There was only silence.

"Azula?" he said again, knocking on the door. "Are you in there?"

When once again there was no answer, he cracked the door open slightly and peered inside. Sure enough, Azula was gone. He opened the door all the way and stepped inside, setting the tray down on the table. With a frown, he looked around the room. It was odd for Azula to be out of her room when he brought dinner.

"She must be out in the garden," he thought out loud. Yes, that was probably it. She had taken to walking with that old man- Thu Kobe had said his name was. Shrugging, he walked out of the room.

On his way back to the kitchen, he spotted a nurse walking up and down the halls, her face wrinkled with worry. Jet frowned and watched her for a moment as she walked in and out of room. Each time she came out of a room, she seemed a little more worried.

_She must be looking for something, _he thought. _Probably a patient report or something like that. _

He continued walking down the hall, walking right past the nurse. He was about to turn the corner when a voice from behind stopped him.

"Excuse me!" the nurse called. "Excuse me, sir! May I have a moment of your time?"

Jet turned and raised an eyebrow. If anyone was calling him "sir," it meant something was wrong.

The nurse motioned for him to come closer, looking up and down the halls as if to make sure no one was watching. Warily, Jet approached the nurse, wondering what on earth she would need him for.

"Have you seen a little girl wondering around?" she whispered when he was close enough to hear her. "She's about this high with light brown hair, grey eyes, and very pale skin. You haven't seen her have you?"

Jet suddenly recognized the woman. She was Hope's nurse, the one that had held her back from the pond the other day. Smiling grimly he shook his head.

"No," he said, "I haven't seen her lately. I saw her this morning out in the garden…"

"You saw her?" the nurse said, stepping closer to him. "Was she near the pond? I've been looking for her all day and I haven't found her!"

"Yes, I did," he said, nervously taking a few steps back. "She was near the pond, but she didn't look like she had interest in going in it."

The nurse put her hands on her head and bit her lip nervously.

"Oh, no," she said, "I hope she hasn't! Oh no, oh no, oh no…"

"If she's been missing all day, why haven't you told anyone?" Jet asked, frowning. "She would be easier to find if there were more people looking for her."

The nurse looked at him with a blank stare. Jet was starting to think the woman was hardly qualified to be a nurse when she shook her head and covered her face with her hands.

"I can't!" she moaned. "If Dr. Lin were here I could, but with Meri… Oh, that woman would have my job in a heartbeat. I can't let her know I lost a patient!"

Jet sighed and looked up and down the hall. He had no doubt that Meri would do what the woman said she would do. Usually he stayed out of the way of other nurses besides Kala and Kobe. The other patients were none of his business. But as the conversation he had had with the girl that morning played through his head, he decided he couldn't leave the nurse.

"Listen," he said, "I'll go out to the garden and look for her. You keep looking in here. In an hour we'll meet up in the common room whether we've found her or not. Deal?"

The nurse looked up and nodded halfheartedly.

"Okay," she murmured.

"And stop looking like you've done something wrong," he said. "If Meri sees you like this, she'll know that something's wrong."

The woman nodded and continued her search, leaving Jet alone in the hall. Turned and headed out toward the gardens. As he did, a foreboding feeling crept over him, but he pushed it away. The girl at least would talk to him. It wouldn't be hard.

…

Hope tossed a flower into the pond, watching as the ripples radiated across the pond. Azula sat beside her, handing her the delicate blossoms. The girl didn't say much, and when she did, it was hard to decipher. Azula was fine with that. Hope wasn't screaming, which was a victory in itself.

"They always float," the girl murmured. "Do you think they all float? Or just these flowers? No, not all flowers float. Some will sink. They always do."

Azula only handed her another flower, a bright yellow blossom the size of her hand. Hope stared at it closely, looking over its petals as if it were a work of art. Then, satisfied with her inspection, she flung it into the air, watching it as it fell into the pond.

"Do you think all stones sink?" Azula asked as Hope watched the flowers. "Not all flowers float, so is it possible that not all stones sink?"

The girl giggled.

"They all sink if they are made of earth," she said. "Only earthbenders can make stones float."

"Yes," Azula said, "I suppose so."

Hope took a flower and flung it into the water, holding her hand up even after the flower had hit the water's surface. She sighed and lowered it slowly. Then she stood and walked away. Azula followed her, not saying anything as Hope absentmindedly wandered through the garden.

When she had met up with the girl earlier that day, Hope had been sitting under a tree, humming to herself. When she had seen Azula, she had stopped and stood up.

"You are Lady Bird, aren't you?" she had asked.

Azula was still trying to figure out what she had meant.

Currently, Hope was in her own world again. Sometimes she hummed, sometimes she stopped and sat on the ground for no reason. Azula just watched. She could only talk to Hope when she came out of her world. Azula couldn't follow her into her own.

"Why don't you fly?" Hope asked suddenly, turning to stare at her. "All birds fly. Why don't you?"

Azula frowned.

"I don't know how," she said. "Do you know how to fly?"

Hope frowned and shook her head.

"Oh, no. I am a flower. Flowers do not fly like birds. You are a bird. You should fly." She turned and ran off into the trees, leaving Azula behind.

Azula sighed and followed her, worried that if she left her alone for too long something would happen.

"Azula!"

Azula froze and turned to look behind her. There was Jet, following her as usual. She groaned and turned away. She wanted nothing to do with him.

"Azula!" Jet called again. "Azula, wait!"

Why would he not leave her alone? Didn't he understand that she didn't want to talk to him? She stopped and let him catch up. She would let him talk to her for a short time and a short time only.

"What do you want?" she snapped. "Why are you following me again?"

Jet frowned and shook his head.

"I'm not following you," he said, "I'm looking for Hope. Have you seen her?"

Azula hesitated before answering. Why did he want her? Not one other person had shown interest in the girl. Why did he want to know where she was?

"Yes," she said, "She ran off into the trees."

"She ran off?"  
"She's not going to hop the wall!" Azula said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, you think she's going to try and run away?"

Jet stood in silence. Azula shook her head and turned away from him.

"I'm going to find Hope," she said. "You better go back."

She was just about to take off into the trees when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned, ready to slap Jet's hand away when she met his eyes. Words couldn't describe what his eyes held. They were sad and regretful, but yet stubborn. Something about them kept her from running away.

"Let me come with you," he said. "Someone asked me to find her. At least I can say that I did." He let his hand fall from her shoulder, and as he did he looked away from her. "At least try to understand that I'm trying to do something good."

Azula looked at him for a moment before sighing. She couldn't believe what she was doing. Against her better judgment, she nodded and gestured for him to follow her.

"All right," she said, "You can come. But I still don't trust you."

Jet grimaced.

"I figured as much," he said.

Azula nodded and walked into the trees after Hope. It took a while before they found her. She was nearly back by the wall, sitting on the ground with a handful of flowers in her lap. When she saw them, she merely stared. Then she sighed and looked up at the sky, her eyes far away.

Jet sighed as he looked at her. When Azula raised an eyebrow, he shook his head.

"She's lost," he said, "And she knows it."

Azula looked back toward Hope. Yes, she was lost, but she would figure a way out. She would see the light again one day. Quietly, she moved over by Hope and sat next to her. Hope didn't even look her way.

They sat like that for a long time. The whole time, Jet stood off to the side, watching but saying nothing. Azula tried her best to ignore him, but she couldn't overlook the fact that he was there, watching her. The only one oblivious to his presence was Hope, and she was worlds away.

Hope finally moved when the sun had nearly set. She turned and looked at Azula, her grey eyes sad and dim.

"I do not like the dark," she said softly. "It's when they come."

Azula raised an eyebrow.

"They come?" she repeated. "Why do they come?"

Hope's lip trembled. She threw the flowers from her lap and pressed her hands to her face. Something inside Azula, a memory, a voice, whispered to her. A shiver ran up her spine, and she brushed it away, almost afraid to think about it.

"They come every night," Hope murmured. "They take the flowers away and burn them to ash." She tucked her knees up to her chest, hugging herself as to keep from falling apart. Azula hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"They can't hurt the flowers in the garden, can they?" she whispered.

Hope looked at her.

"I don't think so," she said, "But even if they can't find the flowers, they come and tell me things. They hurt me." She blinked and a tear fell from her eye. "I wish they wouldn't come. I wish I could sleep."

"Can I make them go away?" Azula asked. "Is there any way I can stop them from coming?"

Hope was silent for a long moment before reaching up and taking the hand that lay on her shoulder. She held it tight, and looked at Azula. Azula reached out and took her other hand. Hope looked down at her their hands and closed her eyes, her head swaying to a song Azula couldn't hear.

"They use fire," Hope said, "How can you stop fire?"

Azula squeezed her hands and sighed.

"I am not afraid of fire," she whispered. "And as long as you know someone who isn't afraid of fire, you will be safe from it. All you have to do is tell them my name, and they will leave. They will let you sleep."

Hope turned and nodded.

"And all the flowers will be safe in the garden," she whispered. "Thank you, Lady Bird."

She stood up, letting go of Azula's hands and ran back toward the hospital, leaving Azula alone with Jet. Not looking up at him, Azula stood and started to follow Hope. She heard Jet follow her, his footsteps almost silent.

"That was kind of you," Jet said, "Perhaps she won't scream tonight."

Azula shrugged.

"She'll only sleep if she believes what I said. If she trusts me. There's no guarantee that she will," she said, looking at the ground. "She's farther away than I thought she was. It will take a long time for her to come back."

"You're the only friend she has," Jet said. "She'll trust you."

Azula looked up at him.

"How do you know?" she asked. "How do you know what's going through her mind?"

Jet stopped and sighed.

"Why did you trust me?" he asked. "Why did you trust me that day when I took you out to the garden? Was there any reason behind it at all?"

For a long moment, Azula said nothing. Then at last, she turned to him.

"I don't know why I did," she said coldly. "It seems it was a mistake, though."

And with that, she left him standing alone.

…

The next morning, Azula woke from a knock on her door. Quickly, she slipped out of bed to open it, hesitating for just a moment to see who it was.

"It's Kobe," Kobe said from the other side. "May I come in?"

Azula opened the door. Kobe hurried in, panting and out of breath. Azula raised an eyebrow curiously.

"You look like you ran here," she said. "What's the big deal?"

"Meri's coming," he said. "We need to get you to a place where she won't find you."

Azula's heart beat fast. Meri was coming? Why? She had done nothing to stand out over the last few days. She had stayed out of trouble. Why would she want her now? Unless…

"The men are still here, aren't they?" she said.

Kobe nodded.

"We've been keeping a close eye on them," he said, "But it seems Meri is going to try and force you to see them. Come. We don't have much time!"

Azula followed him down the hall, nearly running to keep up with him. Kobe looked behind him nervously, as if he expected Meri and the men to appear at any moment. Azula tried to remain calm. She forced herself to breathe normally as if nothing was wrong.

_Don't give them any reason to question you, _she told herself. _They'll only doubt you if you give them reason to._

"Where are we going?" she asked Kobe. "Where in this building is safe?"

Kobe looked back at her and grimaced.

"I suppose you should know, even though you'll probably kill me when I tell you. We're going to Jet's room," he said.

"What?" Azula exclaimed. "You're hiding me with him? I'd rather face Meri!"

"You would not, and you know it," Kobe retorted. "Jet's room is the closest room outside patient boundaries. Meri won't expect you to leave the main part of the hospital. I'll tell her you're out in the garden. And if she goes so far as to search for you out there, Thu will be there."

"Thu?" Azula said incredulously. "Why is Thu helping?"

"He's the one that warned us that she was bringing the men to see you," Kobe said. "He's too smart for his own good, I think, but at least he's on our side."

Azula remembered how she had run away from Thu the day before. Suddenly she felt a pang of guilt, but she brushed it off. She still didn't see why he wouldn't help Hope. Perhaps she would thank him later for his help.

"This way," Kobe said, "Down to that locked door."

They hurried down the hall until they came to the door, one of the doors that Azula had come to during her night wanderings. Azula expected Kobe to pull out a key to unlock the door. But when they reached the door, Kobe knocked three times and the door opened. Standing on the other side of the door was Jet.

"You take her from here, Jet," Kobe said. "I'll go back and make sure Meri hasn't followed us." He gave Azula a grim smile before turning and walking briskly back down the hall.

Jet motioned for her to follow him.

"It's not far from here," he said, "But I think you'll be safe."  
Azula looked around her once more before nodding and following him through the door.

…

**Author's Notes:**

**(Well, this is extremely awkward. I said I was only going to take a little while, but I guess I screwed that up. I hope they don't think I died or something. Well, here goes nothing.) Hi. Long time no see, eh? I'd give you an excuse… but I don't have one. Except maybe college. I assure you that my lovely editor has told me quite clearly how I am not allowed to take a break like that ever again. Ever. She gets quite scary when she takes the readers' side. **

**In all seriousness, I apologize for that. This story will be finished, though, I still stand by that. As for this chapter, it's a bit shorter than usual. It was originally longer, but at Kylie's urging, I cut it short. There were too many ideas floating around, and we decided it was better to leave that for Part 15. The good news is, Part 15 has already been partially written. So, since Kylie believes I deserve NO BREAKS EVER AGAIN (and I really don't), the part will probably be up sometime next week (or Kylie will kill me). The end of this story is in sight! Kylie and I have been talking a lot about upcoming parts and how this is going to end. I'm excited. I'm REALLY excited. Kylie says I'm too excited.**

**There are people to thank, as usual. Kylie, you have more common sense than I ever will, and I cannot thank you enough for enforcing common sense when I'm making no sense at all (and for being a nerd like me and squealing about The Hobbit). Thank you to all of the reviewers, especially Jetzula4eva/LifeTimesWorth and xlollx who have grabbed onto this story and apparently have no intentions of letting go. And to ponysliveinengland, because you, my dear, just seem to make me laugh. I read all of the reviews, and I try to respond to most of them. If you didn't hear from me this time around, know that I still appreciate it! **

**That's all for now! Thanks for reading/reviewing/doing whatever else suits your fancy after reading this chapter! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

Loose Ends

By bricksailor93

Part Fifteen:

She had only a moment to take in her surroundings before the door closed behind her and she was pulled away. In that brief moment, though, she was able to take in enough. The first thing she noticed was the colors. The halls in her wing of the building were painted white and grey, neutral colors that made her mind feel like it had washed with cold rain. That wasn't to say that this place was painted with the same bold reds and golds she had grown accustomed to in the palace, but after months of grey, she felt like she had the day she had stepped into the garden for the first time.

The hall that Jet pulled her down was painted a deep blue. There wasn't any reason for her to feel so uplifted about this, but all the same, she did.

"What are you smiling about?" Jet demanded absentmindedly as he stopped in front of a door. Azula watched as he pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked it, glancing up and down the halls nervously as if he expected someone to come rushing down the hall at any moment.

Normally, Azula would have scowled at such an inquiry, but this time she only shook her head and let the grin, however foolish it was, stay on her face. After all, how long had it been since she had actually smiled for no other reason than that she felt happy?

Happy? When had she ever felt happy? Perhaps when she was a child, when she was playing games with her friends. When her mother had smiled at her, when Zuko had stood up beside her and treated her as a friend. Happiness was not an emotion she often felt. At the most, she felt reasonably content, satisfied with what was happening.

And to think, she thought to herself, it was only a few blue walls. At this, she couldn't suppress a chuckle, which earned her a confused look from Jet.

"You're laughing," he said, motioning her inside the room. "You're laughing, and I have no idea why."

Azula snorted. No one ever had any idea why she did anything. Why would he be any exception?

Jet closed the door behind him and locked it once more. Then he crossed the room, his steps quick and full of purpose, and drew the curtains of the tiny window shut, cutting off the little light that had filtered into the room. When Azula looked up at him in question, he nodded.

"If the room is dark, they won't see shadows under the door," he explained, nodding to himself as if he were assuring himself it was a good idea, "And they might think I'm not here."

"You locked it," Azula said, looking toward the door, "That won't be enough?"

Jet forced a grim laugh.

"No," he said, "Not if it's Meri. She has a key to every door that locks in this hospital. No, a locked door won't stop her."

Azula felt the giddiness that had overwhelmed her earlier seep away with his words. She swallowed and forced herself to remain calm. Deep inside, she knew she was afraid of Meri, but she was determined not to let it show.

"So what happens if she opens the door?" she asked quietly. Despite herself, a small quiver found its way into her voice, and she chided herself silently for it.

Jet turned and gazed at her, his eyes strangely bright in the dark room. He gave her a small, reassuring smile and shook his head.

"It won't come to that," he said softly. "Everything will go according to plan."

"But what if it doesn't?" she insisted, wanting to know the answer as much as she feared it.

Jet's face fell into an emotionless mask, and he shook his head slowly.

"It won't come to that," he said again, this time his voice soft but hard. "It will all be fine."

There was a moment where Azula considered demanding that he tell her. An indignant scowl spread across her face, and she opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought. Then a small, clear thought ran across her mind, and she paused.

She wouldn't be the only one to be punished for hiding if they were caught.

No, she wouldn't be punished much at all. Locked up, yes, but what else could they do to her? Meri could not physically harm her. The men could question her, but they could not lay a finger on her. As a patient, she was relatively safe.

Jet and Kobe, on the other hand...

"What happens to you if they find me?" she asked.

The look in Jet's eyes when he faced her told her enough, but still he smiled when he spoke.

"Nothing," he said. "They are not going to find you."

Azula shook her head.

"You'll lose your job, at the very least," she said. "You're hiding me, the Princess of the Firenation, the enemy of Firelord Zuko. If they wanted, they could twist that into a charge of treason..."

"I'm not Firenation," Jet interrupted. "They couldn't convict me of such a charge."

"Then they'd invent another," Azula said, her nails digging into her palms. "Have you forgotten who I am? I've seen it done. I've _done_ it!" She shook her head and rubbed her face. "Your nationality will not protect you."

"We're not worried about protecting me, now are we?" Jet said, crossing his arms. "You're the person we're trying to protect right now, not me." He continued his pacing, crossing the room with a few short strides, turning, and doing the same the other way.

His tone was dismissive, and Azula could see that he wanted her to drop the subject. She bit her lip and sighed, seeing every possibly outcome very clearly in her mind.

"Why?" she said, her voice hard. "Why protect me? You've said it before. I'm the snake that poisoned this nation. There are plenty that would be happy to see me dead or rot in prison for the rest of my life. For all that I've done, I'm not worth protecting. I'm not worth the price you could pay."

Jet stopped. His eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, she thought she understood what it used to feel like for others to look into her eyes. His gaze was so penetrating that she felt like he could see into her mind. It felt like she had laid every secret she had before her for his scrutiny. She had never seen his eyes like that before, and it almost frightened her. Almost, but not quite. It would take more than a look to scare her.

"Why?" she asked again, this time her voice quiet. "Was there any reason behind it at all?"

Suddenly, his words from the conversation they had had earlier came back to her, and each one hit her like a stone.

_"Why did you trust me? Why did you trust me that day when I took you out to the garden? Was there any reason behind it at all?"_

_ "I don't know why I did. It seems it was a mistake, though." _

Azula couldn't read minds, but she guessed that the same conversation was going through his mind as well. It was almost ironic how the tables had turned on her so quickly. Her anger at him almost seemed unsubstantiated, now that she could see what was at risk.

She sighed and turned away in defeat.

"You can say it was a mistake," she said, shrugging. "I'd understand. It's probably the truth in any case." She sat down with her back against the wall, folding her hands in her lap. "If you want this to stop, if you want to stop protecting me, pretending to be concerned, risking your neck, say so. Believe it or not, I would understand."

Part of her didn't know what she was saying. It didn't make sense. She wasn't someone who cared about others. She didn't care if they sacrificed something in return for her well-being. It was what she was used to; it was normal. It made all the sense in the world for him to continue this "shadow act" of protecting her. It would cost her nothing.

Another part of her, however, a part that had grown more prominent of late, knew exactly what she was saying, and when the last words left her, a relief settled over her. It made sense in a way she was not used to understanding. It was like in the storm when Ozai had been determined to kill them both. She had taken the fire, and Jet had escaped.

_"Only one of us is going to survive, but we are both going to live!"_

Perhaps she understood that a little better.

Jet stood there, silent. He had not said anything in so long that Azula was almost convinced that he had lost his voice.

Finally he moved, slowly, as if he was unsure of what he was doing. He sat down beside her, resting his back against the wall like her. A long and tired sigh escaped his lips, the first sound he had made in several minutes.

Even then, he didn't speak. He just sat there in silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence like the ones that they had shared of late, but it was an impregnable one. It seemed to be a wall separating them. Azula didn't dare say anything. She would receive an answer in time.

While she waited for him to talk, she took in the room around her. The darkness prevented her from seeing it clearly, but she could make out several important details. It was a small room, even smaller than her own room. In the corner there was a bed, though really it was not much more than an old mattress on the floor. There was a small table, a chair, and two shelves that had been built into the wall. Both the table and the shelves were cluttered with papers, brushes, and other odds and ends. From the state of the room, she guessed that he didn't spend much time in it, or at least he hadn't recently.

None of this interested Azula as much as the two hook swords mounted on the wall. She had heard of such weapons before, but she had not seen them wielded more than a few times. They reminded her of Zuko's twin blades. She had seen him practice off on his own with the swords. She had always wondered why he would bother with them since he was a bender. Perhaps she would have been wise to master some sort of weapon. Now that her bending was gone, she had little besides basic fighting to defend herself.

"You ask me why," Jet said, startling from her thoughts. "You tell me that if I want out, I can just say so. Are you really that willing to give up?"

Azula shook her head.

"I never said I would give up. I just said you don't have to fight for me anymore. I'll fight on my own if I must," she said.

Jet looked at her, eyebrows raised in question.

"You won't get very far," he said.

Azula looked at him, face empty of emotion.

"I know," she said, "But what else can I do?"

Jet looked away. Sighing, he looked toward the ceiling and shook his head.

"I made a promise," he said, not looking down at her, "and I plan on keeping it." He sighed again and rubbed his face, looking tired and worn out.

Azula frowned.

"What promise?" she asked, looking at him. "When did you promise me anything?"

Jet met her gaze for a moment before turning away. When he finally spoke, his voice was so low and soft that Azula almost didn't hear him.

"When you were sick," he said, "When you slept for so long we thought you would be beyond our help. I told you I would keep you safe, as long as you didn't give up."

Azula blinked. Her memories of the time around when she had met Jet were blurry, like she had tried to forget them too often. It didn't surprise her that she couldn't remember. She had tried to let her mind go blank as often as she could back then, thinking that the voices would have less of a hold on her if she did.

It bothered her, though. Why could she not remember Jet telling her that? She remembered meeting him, the first time she went out into the garden, the wall. She remembered everything important except that moment. Why couldn't she remember it?

"You were asleep," Jet said, seeming to read her thoughts. "You wouldn't remember it."

Ah. No, she wouldn't have remembered it then. She had been far away then. For all she knew, she could have been in the eye of the storm at that point.

"I wouldn't have known if you broke your promise," she said, "You could have pretended it never happened."

Jet laughed grimly.

"I have plenty of things on my conscience without broken promises," he assured her. "Even if you would have never known." He paused for a minute, and then looked back at her, frowning. "But I suppose there's more to it. It was like when you heard Hope scream and knew you had to help her. I couldn't _not_ help you."

"You didn't know who I was, though."

"Didn't I?" he asked, looking at her carefully. "All of the hospital staff knew you were here and what condition you were in. I could have easily guessed who you were before I decided to help you."

"So why didn't you?" she asked. "You could have saved yourself a lot of trouble."

For the first time that day, Jet smiled.

"I was already in trouble," he said, laughing slightly. "I was lectured on a daily basis about things I wasn't supposed to do. It's incredibly boring, being a cleaning boy. If anything, you saved me from dying from boredom."

Azula laughed. There were several things she could think of that could have saved the boy from boredom besides befriending her. Because that was what he was. Her only friend.

"I don't know why I decided to help you that day, Azula," Jet continued, "But I don't regret it. For better or for worse, you're stuck with me."

…

_Breathe, just breathe. _

She repeated these words to herself again and again, but despite her efforts, Mai could not fight off the unease she felt. Nervously, she adjusted her sleeves, smoothing the fabric with her long, slender fingers. Mai looked at her hands and sighed. She was always told she had the fingers and hands of a proper lady. Pale and elegant, she could fit any role among the nobles. Fingers like hers, she had always been told, were just the sort for playing music or drawing or arranging flowers. They had never expected them to be good at handling weapons.

Out of habit, she felt her fingers twitch toward the knife hidden in her sleeve. She knew there was no need for it here, now that she held the position that she did and had more guards on hand than she did close friends. There was no threat to her. The war was over, they were at peace. At least this was what she told herself. All the same, that morning she had hidden her knives on her as usual.

_If anything_, she thought, _it helps with these nerves._

"My Lady, are you ready?"

Mai glanced over her shoulder at the door, where two guards stood waiting to escort her. She gave them a slight nod, and after glancing one last time in the mirror, she left her room and motioned for them to lead the way.

This was the way it was in the palace when Zuko wasn't around. Zuko knew as well as she did that she could take care of herself. She had taken the time to make that point quite clear to him when he began to insist that she have her own bodyguard day-in and day-out. They had finally agreed that she was more than capable of making it through her day-to-day life without being followed by a shadow. That all had changed when Zuko left. Since the council took over, Mai did what she knew Zuko would have wanted; she found herself guards. That didn't stop her from slipping away unnoticed from time to time, but for the majority of the time, the guards followed her.

"I will be going to the inn where Dr. Lin and Nurse Kala are staying," she informed them as they led her down the hall. "I will travel with them back to the palace and accompany them to the trial. You may find me there."

The guard on her left, Oss, looked at her when she finished speaking.

"I thought we had agreed, Lady Mai, that we would travel with you to the inn," he said.

"I thought so, too," said Nars, the guard to her right. "Forgive me for saying so, but it would be unsafe for you to travel alone, even though you have your knives. You are dressed too fine today to pass as just another woman on the streets. People will know who you are the moment you leave the palace."

At this, Mai allowed a small smile to cross her usually impassive face. Oss and Nars knew her well, almost too well. They had become her personal confidants since Zuko had left, and she trusted them almost as much as she trusted Ty Lee and Zuko.

"Two armed guards will attract more attention than a noble woman in a fine dress," she said. "I never agreed that I would allow you to come. I said I would consider it, and after considering it I decided against it." When they continued to look at her with concern, she sighed and shook her head. "I will be fine. I traveled the world with just two other people, and I was fine. A ride down the street cannot be any more dangerous than that!"

She tried not to think about that time when she had traveled with Ty Lee and Azula. It brought back too many memories that she would rather not remember. Instead, she waved away her guards' concern and filled them in with the details of the day. Oss and Nars listened quietly, nodding occasionally to show they understood.

Waiting outside was a simple, ostrich horse-drawn cart. It was large enough for three people to ride comfortably, but simple enough that no one would suspect that it bore anyone important.

"Stop looking at me like that," Mai sighed as she stepped into the cart, giving her guards a firm look. "I'll be back in less than an hour. The Firelord wouldn't be pleased with you acting this way."

Nars turned a soft laugh into a cough. Oss didn't bother to hide his grin.

Mai sighed again and rolled her eyes.

"Alright, fine. He'd be _thrilled _with you right now," she said, allowing another rare smile to shine through her impassive mask.

She closed the door behind her, allowing the cart to swallow her up. She gave instructions to the driver, and after a final glance at her guards, the cart took off toward the surrounding town. Once more she checked the knives she had hidden that morning.

_If you keep doing that, someone is going to notice, _she told herself as she folded her hands in her lap. Things were already complicated as it was. The last thing anyone needed to know was that the Lady Mai had concealed more weapons on her than her guards carried.

The ride was short, or at least it seemed to be. After sneaking out three nights in a row and _walking_ to the inn under the guise of a hooded peasant, traveling in a cart seemed almost too fast. When the cart stopped, Mai glanced outside briefly before opening the door and stepping out. As her guards had predicted, she was noticed almost immediately. A few children stopped and pointed at her; a few market women whispered to each other and nodded their heads toward her. Mai quickly averted her eyes and hurried into the inn.

_To think I used to be bored with blending in with everyone, _she thought, smoothing her sleeves out of habit. Quickly, she walked to the room where the doctor and nurse were staying. Almost immediately after she knocked, the door was opened, and the two stepped out, looking as though they were wearing their best clothes.

"Oh, my," Dr. Lin said by way of greeting, "I didn't know you'd be meeting us here in person." He eyed her fine dress for a moment before clearing his throat and brusquely smoothing out his own sleeves nervously.

Nurse Kala offered Mai a small apologetic smile and nodded to her as she shut the door behind the doctor.

"He's always like that," she said as the doctor walked away down the hall. "He thinks being a doctor puts him on the same level as any noble, save the Firelord, of course."

Mai glanced at the skinny man walking away. A nurse with a good head on her shoulders but no power, a doctor who was self-conceited and bad-tempered, and the Firelord's girlfriend. Mai couldn't help thinking that the last trio she had been a part of had at least been a little more intimidating.

The ride back to the palace was quiet and uneventful, except for the occasional sporadic comment from Dr. Lin. Mai might have been bored had it not been for the drumming of her heart. She fought back the urge to check her knives again, and settled with running her hands across the fabric of her dress.

The nurse glanced at her, her eyes too smart for Mai's liking. It reminded her of how Azula used to look at her sometimes, like she was searching for a secret Mai was keeping. Kala's eyes, however, didn't have the cruel glint to them that Azula's had.

"You may not have to take the stand," the nurse said, seeming to read Mai's thoughts. "Dr. Lin and I have plenty to say. Dr. Lin alone could spend the whole day talking if he had to."

"What?" the doctor said, turning to scowl at Kala.

She ignored him and continued.

"We have plenty of evidence, my lady," she said. "There's no need to be worried." She gave her a small smile, one that Mai, however hard she tried, could not return.

"You do not know this council," Mai replied evenly, not meeting Kala's gaze. "We will lucky to last half the day."

It was really a hopeless attempt. She had known it from the start. Since she had found the letter on Zuko's desk that detailed the plans for the Fire Princess, she had known there was little she could do. The plans had been well-orchestrated; well enough that even Azula would have given them credit.

And she deserved them. Azula deserved the fate that had been planned for her. She deserved to be locked away, to be held accountable for what she had done. The world deserved to be rid of the fear that she had instilled in it.

Or, that's what Mai told herself when she had seen Zuko's face after he returned from the hospital. The guilt, the pain, the sadness that couldn't be hidden away behind another mask of his always brought her thoughts to a halt. He didn't have to say anything. She knew that the pain he was going through wasn't anything compared to the pain Azula was in.

Did she deserve it? Probably, Mai had decided, but she knew she was grateful that she didn't have to be the one to sentence her to that fate. There had been a time when Azula was once her friend, and however hard she tried, she could not forget that. There was once a time that Azula would have put her neck on the line for her, though it had been a long time since.

There really wasn't a good reason why Mai was doing this, why she was trying this hopeless attempt at changing Azula's fate. She just knew she couldn't let it happen. She had to try.

"Oh, wonderful. We're here," Dr. Lin chimed as the cart came to a halt. He smoothed down his sleeves and adjusted his collar. "I wish you would have told me that this was going to be such a formal undertaking, Nurse Kala. I would have packed better clothes." With a slight adjustment to the glasses balancing on the bridge of his nose, he stepped out, leaving Mai and the nurse behind him.

Nurse Kala gestured for Mai to go before her. Mai took a deep breath, and stepped into the sunlight.

After years of practicing, Mai had become an expert at making her face a mask. Now she used that skill as she walked in front of Dr. Lin and Nurse Kala toward the palace. Nars and Oss were waiting like she had instructed them. She nodded to them, and the two guards led her through the palace to the grand council room. Mai paused only a moment before opening the door to what awaited her.

She had not expected to see the room packed to the brim with people. There were always a few people at these affairs, usually to relate what happened back to the people of the town. It was a new thing Zuko had started, letting people hear the decisions that were made in the palace. Of course, not many people ever showed up. They were people who had to make a living, and hearings were not their priority. Today, however, it seemed every seat had been taken.

"This way, my lady," Oss said, indicating a row in the front.

"Not so fast, buddy."

Nars and Oss stiffened as a small, rough hand grabbed Mai's and pulled her away.

"I saved you a better seat. Though you need to tell Sparky that the arrangement of this room does nothing to help my feet see."

"I'll mention that to him," Mai said as she smiled a thin-lipped smile at the earthbender.

Toph only grunted in response as she led Mai, the doctor, and Nurse Kala down to their seats.

…

"She wasn't in her room. She must be out here somewhere."

Thu listened carefully to the voices of the nurse and the two men. He sat on a stone down by the willow trees that provided him cover. The three passed by him, unaware of his presence.

Frowning, he watched them until they turned out of sight, still arguing over where the girl might be. He had never been fond of the nurse, the woman that everyone called Meri. She was less a nurse and more a demon, in his opinion. Her intention was never to heal but to manipulate, so Thu never felt any guilt when he snatched the jade pins she wore in her hair.

He had quite a collection of those pins now, but Meri was still as heartless as an old crow looking for a meal.

_At least a crow waits for its prey to die, _Thu thought grimly.

Slowly he stood, playing the part of an old man well, and followed them. It wasn't a difficult task, considering they were arguing enough to be heard halfway across the garden, but Thu still took the precaution of staying a good distance away. After all, you only had one chance to pick a pocket, and you had to plan it precisely.

He waited until he was close enough, and then he cut across another path, guessing where they were going. They weren't so creative, those men. They were more like two animals plodding along after a farmer. This would be easy enough.

The moment he was waiting for came, and with a sigh, he stumbled toward them.

He stumbled right into one of the men, just like he had planned.

"Oh, my!" he croaked wearily, holding his hands out apologetically. "I am so sorry, sir! Please forgive me!"

He wobbled unsteadily for show, and the man reached out a hand to steady him.

"Are you alright, sir?" he asked, looking the man up and down for injuries.

Thu took the chance to look at the man's face. He was young, maybe in his twenties, with a distinct Firenation appearance. He had obviously done some sort of service for the military from the scars on his wrists and the way he held himself. He was the type that would follow orders easily, probably the reason he was chosen for the job he was currently attempting to do.

"Oh, I've been better," Thu moaned tiredly, leaning on the man for support.

The second man pulled him off the first man roughly, grunting as he did.

"Who is this?" he said to Meri, "I thought we were in a hurry."

"A hurry?" Thu said incredulously. "Well, no wonder you almost knocked me over! This is a hospital! Not a place for you to play foot race like little children!"

He pushed the man off of him and brushed himself off. Meri was glaring daggers at him, but he pretended not to notice. Crossing his arms, he scowled and looked the men up and down.

"And to think, I was just trying to help you. What a mistake that was," he grumbled, turning his back to them. He began to walk away, holding his shoulders stiffly like he was still insulted.

"Wait!" the first man said. "What did you mean help us?"

"I'm sure he meant nothing by it," Meri said, "After all, he is the one that needs help." She forced a smile that could curdle milk. "I'm sorry gentlemen that this patient bothered you. Shall we continue our search?"

Thu turned back around to glance at the two men. They were watching him curiously.

_And just like that, the fish has been hooked, _he thought merrily to himself. Rubbing his hands together, he approached the two men, looking at them warily.

Thu shrugged meekly.

The second man frowned.

"Nurse Meri, maybe he has seen the girl," he said, an eager light in his eyes. "He could lead us right to her!"

Meri scoffed at the idea and frowned. She glanced at Thu with a look of disgust before turning to glare at the two men.

"You think this bumbling fool can help you?" she sneered, "He can barely stay on his feet without help!"

The two men looked at Meri and Thu uneasily. Thu reminded himself that the goal was to appear weak. Otherwise, he would have laughed right there on the spot. The two men had probably been under the impression that Meri was a nurse before anything else. They most likely had not anticipated her cruelty.

Making sure to put a limp in his step, he hobbled over to the first man. With a shaking hand, he grasped his shoulder, leaning on him for support. Automatically, the man put his hand out to help him. So he wasn't heartless. It was a shame such a man had to be mixed up in this sort of business.

"What girl, sir?" he croaked wearily. "Is she missing?"

The second man stepped toward them. He swept his coat off and draped it across Thu's shoulders. Meri looked appalled. Ignoring her, the man laid a hand on Thu's arm.

"We're looking for the Fire Princess, Azula," he said as Thu tucked his arms into the coat. "We were sent by the Firelord to evaluate his sister's health. We've been waiting several days to speak with her. If we wait any longer, he might assume something horrible has happened to her."

_It already has, _Thu thought, but he kept his face blank as the man continued.

"We would be forever grateful if you helped us, sir," he said. "Have you seen her?"

Thu took a moment to process this information. So, the men thought they were reporting directly to the Firelord. Either that, or they were very good liars. He doubted the latter. In his pickpocketing days, he had learned a thing or two about picking up lies. It would take more than two young officials to fool him.

He furrowed his brow, pretending to be deep in thought. Biting his lip, he looked at the two men, assessing them silently.

"Now that you mention it," he murmured, looking between the two of them, "I think I did see her. Skinny girl, long black hair, light brown eyes?"

The two men nodded excitedly.

"Yes!" the first cried. "That's her! That's the girl we're looking for!"

Thu frowned. Obviously, they hadn't ever seen the Princess of the Firenation with their own eyes. He suspected there was more here than anyone suspected. Putting that information away in the back of his mind for later, he nodded.

"Oh, well, by all means," he said, "Follow me!"

He turned and hobbled back the way he came. The men followed him without a second glance at Meri. Thu glanced back and had to fight to keep a smug look off of his face. The nurse had lost her power over the men. Smiling inwardly, he turned back and led the men to the other side of the garden.

He walked slowly, making sure to take as much of their time as he could. Even though they both offered to help him several times, he insisted on walking on his own. Then, to keep them from falling into an uncomfortable silence, he asked simple, innocent questions.

Their names were Riko and Seron. They had never seen the Firelord or his sister with their own eyes. They worked as "runners", men that ran out and did things, usually small, relatively unimportant things, that the Firelord or his council were too busy to do themselves. This was the biggest job they had done yet. When Thu asked them what was going on in the Firenation capital that required them to run out to the hospital, neither of them could give him a definite answer.

"We left as soon as we were told to," Seron said, "In fact, we left the same time your Dr. Lin and Nurse Kala came. We were told to return as soon as we could so we could make it back before they left."

Thu nodded silently at this. So these men knew nothing. Whoever sent them had made sure that the true purpose of their journey would not be revealed to anyone. He would have to tell Kobe. Perhaps the young man knew more than he did.

"I have a question," Riko said after a long moment of silence. "You said you were trying to help us, but that was before we mentioned the girl. What did you mean?"

Thu's face lit up.

"Oh, yes!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands. "I had forgotten."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the change purse he had lifted off of Seron when he had crashed into him. Holding it up for them to see, he smiled widely.

"I found this on the ground," he said, handing the purse back to its owner, "I heard you walking away, so I thought it might belong to you."

Seron thanked him enthusiastically.

"What a helpful old man you are!" remarked Riko merrily. "We should have gone to you in the first place! Maybe then we wouldn't have been running around uselessly for the last few days with that nurse."

Seron barked a laugh as he tucked his purse back into its place.

"Yes," he agreed, "For a nurse, she hardly knows the patients at all. You know what I'm saying, Riko? She just seems… off."

"If by off, you mean she can't be bothered by her 'patients', then yes, she is off," Riko said. "Perhaps when we return to the capital, we should mention her to the council. I can't believe someone like her can be left in charge of a hospital, even if it's only when Dr. Lin is gone. It's just not right."

Seron grunted his agreement before turning to Thu.

"What do you think of her?" he asked, "Don't worry. We won't tell her."

Thu smirked. He had many a thing to say about Meri, but he wouldn't be saying it to these two men. Even if they did seem foolishly innocent with their purpose, it was better safe than sorry.

"I don't often see her," he said simply. "I don't have much to judge her by."

"You don't need much!" Riko said. Looking around him, he added, "Are we close? We've been walking for a while now."

Thu smiled slyly.

"Nearly there," he said. Gesturing to a cluster of trees surrounded by bushes, he nodded. "You see those trees? They surround a pond. The staff here planted those bushes to keep patients from wandering back there, but she likes to go back there, just the same. It is a good hiding spot." Thu winked at Seron and nudged him forward. "I'm too old to wriggle back there like her, but you two might be able to."

He had picked this spot out with a specific purpose in mind. Of course, the two of them wouldn't know that until it was far too late. It was a shame, too. Thu rather enjoyed talking with them.

Seron and Riko looked at each other and nodded. Without another word, they started for the trees. Thu stood back and watched, humming to himself. When the two men started to force their way into the bushes, he smiled widely.

"It's awfully thick back here," Riko called. "Are you sure she went back here?"

"Oh, yes!" Thu responded, bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly. "I saw her go to the pond myself! Unless she left while we were walking back, she has to be back there!"

The two men huffed and grunted as they forced their way back into the bushes. Thu watched and listened.

_Any time now…_

"Wha..? Argh!"

"NO!"  
There was a splash, and Thu couldn't contain his laughter. Chortling merrily to himself, he wandered up to the edge of the bushes, which hid a steep drop to a pool of water at the base of the wall. The hospital staff had planted the bushes to keep patients out, but they had not realized what potential the spot held for trapping troublesome visitors.

"Is she down there?" he called innocently.

"No!" Seron cried. "Help us! We can't get out!"

"I thought you said this was a pond! It's more like a cliff into a ravine!" Riko yelled.

Thu gasped dramatically.

"Oh, no," he moaned, smiling now that the men couldn't see him. "I must have confused this for the _other _pond! I forgot this one had a drop! Oh, dear! What am I going to do?"

"Go get help!" Riko exclaimed. "And hurry!"

"It's not deep down there, is it?" Thu asked, feigning concern.

"Err… no," Seron replied, "But it is wet and muddy."

"Ah," Thu said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of Riko's coat, which he was still wearing, and rocked back and forth on his heels unhurriedly. "Well, I'll go get help," he said, "But I wouldn't scream. You might startle the patients, and that would be terrible."

After assuring the men that he would go and find help and after convincing them there was no need for them to scream and shout, Thu meandered off into the garden, content to leave the men for a few hours. He had decided he liked Riko's coat very much, and he wasn't going to give it back without enjoying its fine tailoring for a while longer.

"I don't think they'll mind much," he laughed to himself as he continued his daily walk around the garden.

…

In her short life, Toph had been bored many times. Rarely, though, had she ever been as bored as she was sitting and listening to the trial. As she listened to the men on the stand drone on and on, she thought to herself how exactly she was going to kill Iroh for sending her ahead of him. The old man was on his way, she had told Mai a few minutes into the proceedings. Being old, though, he had a certain tendency to be slow.

Silently, before Mai could ask any questions, Toph had pushed a folded piece of parchment into her hand.

"Iroh gave it to me," she had hissed, "He said Sparky sent it to him. Obviously, I have no idea what it says, but he said that you should have received one by now. For some reason, he didn't think you did."

Mai had shaken her head ever so slightly.

"Nothing like this has reached me," she had whispered back. "Someone must be intercepting my messages."

Toph had grunted.

"I could have told you that. This whole room feels like it's going to explode from the tension. I'm surprised you only have two guards. By the way, do they wrestle?"

The two had been silenced with a quiet cough from the woman next to Mai. The skinny man that had come into the room with them had stood and walked up to the front of the room. Then he had begun talking.

That had been at least an hour ago. Toph now was trying to stay awake as she listened to the skinny man ramble. If anything, he was good at embellishing his words and making everything last longer than it should. Apparently, doctors were good at talking a lot.

"Why were you with Iroh?" Mai asked, after a while.

Grateful for a break in the monotony, Toph shrugged.

"I was in Ba Sing Se," she said. "He said he needed help, so I helped him. I didn't think it would end up in a lovely mess like this."

Mai let out a very unladylike snort.

"Trust me, this is nothing. Not yet at least," she muttered.

"Well, wake me when they start throwing punches," Toph said with a slight grin. She heard Mai muffling a laugh, which she turned into a cough. Almost immediately, she could feel the eyes of the people in the room turn toward them.

A man in the row in front of her was being very obvious about turning around and looking at them. Toph took the moment to send his chair flying a few inches forward, which shifted the attention away from them. An elbow in the side from Mai warned her to not meddle with the other people in the courtroom.

"What? He deserved it," Toph insisted. "In any case, why are these fools trying to make the crazy ex-Princess of the Firenation take the blame for all of this?"

"Is it really that obvious?"

"They always think the blind one won't see through their plans," Toph said with a roll of her eyes. "If people would stop and think for a moment, they wouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. Sparky sure wouldn't."

The doctor had come to a pause in his rambling. The lack of sound made Toph focus on the man. There was something that she had missed.

"Nurse Kala and I do believe that this attempt to hold Princess Azula accountable for the damage done to the Firenation may not be done without reason, but it is done without justice. Azula was the mouth of Ozai, and has paid well for it since. She is destined to spend the rest of her days within the confines of the Firenation Hospital, which is secluded on an island off the coast. She has lost her bending, her mind, and any hope of seeing the outside world again. She will die there. There is no reason to hold her accountable for more than she has done. The guilty party has been punished already, and it is my professional opinion that the action of this trial is the sort of action you would expect from the former Firelord's council, not the council of a Firelord who is determined to lead his nation in peace."

The doctor let his words ring in the silent room, before standing and shaking his head.

"In my time of helping the sick and healing the wounded, I have found there is no worse plague than hatred and there is no better cure for a people coming out of war than forgiveness and peace. Think about that when you try this girl for actions for which she is not to blame."

Toph always thought that questions were supposed to follow in a trial, but the room remained silent, and the doctor was led back to his seat without a single question being posed. She was not sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

Mai had been sitting on edge throughout the doctor's final words. Now she sat, stiff as a board.

The trial continued with the woman sitting next to Mai. Toph found that she was a nurse. After learning that the woman had personally given care to Azula, Toph leaned over to Mai and told her that she deserved a medal.

The nurse didn't take nearly as long as the doctor had in saying what she had to say. But there were several questions following.  
"How do you know that she is in pain?"

"She has told me so, sir."

"How do you know that she is not lying?"

"I can see it in her eyes."

Other questions were more complicated, more thought-out. Some drove Toph mad just listening to them. Throughout it all, the nurse handled herself well, and when she at last was led back to her seat, Toph sensed a unanimous agreement throughout the room that the trial was unnecessary.

The nurse sat down with a sigh.

"Very good, Nurse Kala," the doctor whispered. "I feel we have done well today."

At this, Toph felt Mai shift in her seat.

"What is it?" Toph asked her.  
Mai was silent for a moment before saying very softly, "We are hardly finished. This is only our side. They will now present their side."

And Toph very soon learned that it was far from over.

…

The two men stayed in there pit far longer than they should have. But it was no fault of Thu's. There were other things to preoccupy his mind as he walked back along the garden paths.

The day was drawing to a close. The last traces of sunlight were fading above the tops of the trees, and soon the sky would be dark except for the moon and stars. With the coat still around his shoulders, Thu ambled back toward the hospital, feeling perhaps it was safe at last to find someone to help the men out of the pit. This was his plan, and he would have gone through with it had a small, ghost-like figure not caught his eye.

The girl, he realized as soon as he saw her, the one that Azula had befriended. She was walking around the edge of the pond under the magnolia tree, her face dark and sad. A sense of foreboding crept up on Thu, and a sense of dread filled his stomach. There was something wrong, he could feel it.

Suddenly, the girl looked up at him, her eyes pale in the fading daylight. A small smile flitted across her face. With a glance up at the sky, she reached out her hands and jumped.

And Thu could do nothing but yell for the help that would arrive too late.

…

Most of the day had passed by the time anyone came for them, and Azula had lost her anxiousness long before that.

It had been a terribly boring day, once they realized that the search was probably over. Jet had provided her with some conversation, but there was only so much they could say before running out of things to discuss. A good portion of the day she had spent sleeping against the wall, for no other reason than she was bored and needed a way to pass the time.

"It's late now," Jet said, breaking the silence unexpectedly. "I'm sure they're done searching now. Patients have to be put to bed. There's no time to be scouring the hospital."

Azula sighed heavily.

"Then why hasn't Kobe come to get us yet?" she asked.

Jet shrugged.

"I don't know," he said.

Azula sighed again and looked up at the ceiling. She could hardly see now that the sun was nearly set. A darkness covered the details of the room, even though she knew most of them from staring at them all day.

"I don't think they ever intend to let me leave," she said suddenly.

Jet turned to look at her, frowning.

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

Azula snorted.

"Well, seeing as my brother has spent so much time seeing that I get well, I don't think he's going to turn around and throw me in a prison like my father," she said. "But I doubt I'll be allowed to live a life free of walls."

"You don't know that," Jet said, "The Firelord is the Firelord after all."

"Yes, but he's still Zuko," Azula said. "Zuko believes in justice. Letting me go free would be the furthest thing from justice."

Silence drifted between them. For a few minutes, Azula just stared at the ceiling. The thought that she would never be free again was overwhelming. What was the point of fighting if she would never be able to live her own life? There wasn't much point that she could see.

"There are worse fates than staying at a hospital," Jet said after a while. "Here you'll be able to live peacefully, maybe even happily."

Azula looked at him.

"I would never be happy behind walls," she told him. She sighed and looked away, shaking her head. "You might as well know, Jet, that I don't intend to stay here, whether or not that is what others intend for me."

Jet blinked, looking at her as if he were trying to understand what she was saying.

"Yes, Jet," she said, with a roll of her eyes, "That means escaping if I have to."

Jet opened and closed his mouth several times, but no words came out. Azula was about to demand that he say something when someone knocked on the door. Meeting her eyes, Jet jumped to his feet. Hesitantly, he unlocked the door as Azula hid herself in the corner of the room.

Azula felt a wave of relief wash over her when Kobe's face appeared in the doorway. Quickly, she stood up and walked over to stand behind Jet.

"You had us worried for a while," Jet was saying, letting Kobe into the room. "I was starting to believe you had started supper and forgot about us."

Kobe looked up at them with solemn eyes and said nothing. A chill ran through Azula, and immediately, she knew something was wrong.

"Kobe?" she said very quietly, "What's wrong?"

Kobe looked at her and sighed. He shook his head and looked down at the ground.

"It's Hope," he said softly. "She's dead."

…

**Author's Notes:**

**I am very happy to be able to upload this part. I know I have been gone for a very long time. My only excuse is college and life. I will remind you that I promised to finish this story, and I will, even if it takes me years. **

**An idea I have discussed with Kylie in the past is possibly writing the rest of the story and uploading parts each week after its completion. I sort of like this idea because then, once I am finished, there won't be any several-month gaps in between. It'll make it easier to keep what's going on straight in your heads, too. If you have an opinion on this, shoot me a comment or something. I do enjoy feedback. **

**As for this part, things are changing. Soon, the real fun will begin. Hopefully. The end of this story has actually already been written. I know how it is going to end, but it's getting there that will take time. As for this part, the big thing for me was Hope. Hope's death was planned about 2 years ago (wow. I have been writing this story for that long?) when Kylie and I were working on a Hamlet paper for our English class. I said something like, "I need a tragic character." Kylie said, "Like Ophelia?" I agreed but said there was no room for a tragic love story. We then came up with the idea of Hope, who, like Ophelia, had gone insane and talked about flowers. Kylie hated the choice of name, but me being cruel and stubborn kept it. Oddly enough, Thu was also drafted around the same time. The original plan was to choose one character or another, but in the end Kylie suggested both. I'm glad she did. At the same time, I'm kind of upset she did because I had to have Hope die. I really liked Hope. She was a sweetheart despite what she went through. **** (And this is where you say, "Umm… You're the author. You didn't have to kill her off!" Yeah, yeah, I know. But it was all in the plan. Ah!) In this chapter, I didn't cover what happened to her much, but there will be more details in the next chapter. **

**As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing, even though I have been inconsistent at best with these updates. I appreciate every review and every word of encouragement. And I cannot thank my lovely editor and friend enough. Kylie, you're awesome. That's all for now. Hopefully I will be back again soon! **


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